A maintenance laptop boards
A device attempts access outside its authorised scope. The event is flagged for review and the connection can be isolated according to the agreed operating procedure.
Maritime · MDM-PROTECT01 / 08
Local protection. Managed from shore.
MDM-PROTECT is an onboard protective layer for inland vessels, powered by aXite and monitored from shore. It separates the connected IT environment from the operational systems that keep a vessel moving.
Talk to a maritime OT-security expertThe connected vessel02 / 08
Your ship is more connected than it looks.
Navigation, engine management, communications and maintenance devices increasingly share a connected environment. That makes the boundary between administration and operation a practical security question for shipowners, charterers and logistics partners.
MDM-PROTECT addresses that boundary on board. It does not replace vessel operations or shore-side responsibility; it adds a scoped protective layer and an evidence trail around the systems in scope.
The chain interruption03 / 08
An immobilised vessel interrupts more than a voyage.
A vessel's cyber event can affect schedules, cargo handoffs and the partners that depend on the route. MDM-PROTECT keeps the operational boundary visible while the vessel is underway.
On board
A compact hardware unit between IT and OT.
From shore
Monitoring, review and reporting coordinated with the operator.
What is MDM-PROTECT?04 / 08
A protective layer between two connected worlds.
MDM-PROTECT is an onboard unit plus a managed service, installed and configured around the vessel's existing connections. It sits between the IT environment (internet, communication and administration) and the OT environment (navigation, engine management and operational controls).
MDM is the maritime service and monitoring partner. aXite provides the underlying field-level protection technology. The exact vessel boundary, escalation path and responsibilities are agreed during implementation.
Discuss MDM-PROTECTHow it works05 / 08
Four steps from installation to evidence.
01 /
Installation and configuration
The onboard unit is installed and configured around the vessel's existing IT and OT connections during an agreed installation window. Each installation is scoped to the vessel.
02 /
Continuous monitoring
The unit monitors traffic between the connected IT environment and the operational systems that keep the vessel moving.
03 /
Threat detection and response
The unit detects events and applies agreed local policy blocking. The shore team assesses events 24/7 and coordinates notification and response with the operator.
04 /
Monthly fleet reporting
Monthly shareable fleet reports give operators and chain partners a documented view of network activity, anomalies and agreed actions.
Monitoring scenarios06 / 08
What the shore team can see and act on.
A navigation update arrives
An update from an unverified source is treated as an event requiring review before it reaches an operational system.
A device changes behaviour
Unexpected external communication is detected against the vessel's established traffic patterns and recorded for investigation.
A normal day underway
Monitoring continues, connections are logged and the reporting trail is maintained while the vessel operates.
Vessel context06b / 08
The operating context is part of the boundary.
Audiences · NIS2 context07 / 08
A documented boundary for the vessel and its chain.
Shipowners and operators, cargo owners, charterers and fleet managers each carry different responsibilities. MDM-PROTECT supports the assessment, monitoring, incident documentation and reporting conversations that those responsibilities require.
It can support the demonstrable filling-in of relevant controls; it does not make an organisation independently compliant. Applicability and customer responsibilities must be assessed for the specific vessel and chain.
Deployment and managed service08 / 08
Start with the vessel, then define the evidence.
- Onboard installation and vessel-specific configuration
- Monitoring and agreed incident notification path
- Recurring network and anomaly reporting
- Implementation guidance for operators and chain partners
MDM-PROTECT was developed, tested and refined on MTS West Virginia with Wijgaart Shipping, its development partner and first customer, and Shipping Technology as technical partner. Installation, data flows, retention, responsibilities and escalation are agreed for each service.
Discuss the maritime protection boundary