Marlink reports rising AI-driven cyber threats in maritime sector
Marlink reported that cybercriminals used generative AI and large language models to carry out increasingly sophisticated attacks against maritime vessels from June to December 2024. The report documented 10,700 malware incidents across monitored vessels and warned of growing threats in 2025.
What happened
Marlink's Security Operations Centre report for June to December 2024 found that cybercriminals increasingly used generative artificial intelligence to enhance attack capabilities in the maritime sector. Hackers utilised large language models (LLMs) to expedite malware creation, automate phishing efforts, and improve social engineering methods.
Over the six-month period, Marlink's global SOC network monitored 1,998 merchant and leisure vessels, documenting nine billion security events and 39 billion firewall events, 718,000 alerts, and 10,700 malware incidents. Email was one of the most commonly exploited vectors for cyberattacks, with users targeted through phishing schemes, malware-infested attachments, and misleading links.
Reported impact
The report noted 50 major incidents managed during the period and identified a shift towards a more organised cybercriminal ecosystem, with the market for network access doubling in the past year.
Index analysis
Marlink Cyber president Nicolas Furgé stated that H2 2024 saw a marked evolution in cyber threats as malicious actors adopted increasingly efficient, structured, and business-like approaches to cybercrime, putting additional pressure on the maritime industry.
Governance controls
Marlink recommended more robust enforcement of software policies, improved endpoint control, and heightened user awareness aboard vessels to address the evolving threats.
Classification
Sources and evidence
Sources not yet published
This record was researched and written by the Index from original reporting. Its sources are still being verified by an editor, and they are listed here once that check is complete. Until then the record carries no reviewer.