How can vessel traffic services (VTS) be impacted by cyber threats?

Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) play a critical role in ensuring the safe and efficient movement of vessels through busy waterways. They rely heavily on various communication and data-sharing systems to provide real-time information to mariners. Cyber threats can significantly impact these services by disrupting communications and data sharing.

If a cyberattack targets the systems utilized by VTS, it could lead to the loss of vital information that is essential for navigational safety, such as traffic conditions, weather updates, and emergency situations. This disruption can entail service outages or the manipulation of data, which may result in dangerous situations, such as vessel collisions or grounding incidents. Cyber threats that compromise data integrity or availability put the entire maritime safety framework at risk, ultimately endangering lives and the environment.

In contrast, other options suggest that cyberattacks have positive effects on communication capabilities, are limited solely to land-based facilities, or only affect physical equipment. These assertions do not align with the reality of how cyber threats operate, as they can primarily aim to exploit vulnerabilities in digital systems and networks that are crucial for the operation of VTS.