A proposed regional cybersecurity framework under discussion among African maritime authorities would set minimum standards specifically for terminal operating systems, the software that coordinates crane, yard and gate operations at container terminals.
Proponents argue that terminal operating systems are an attractive target precisely because of their central role in port logistics, and that a disruption there could have outsized knock-on effects for supply chains across the region.
The framework remains in a consultation phase, with port authorities weighing how prescriptive any eventual standard should be against the practical challenge of applying uniform rules across facilities with very different levels of existing technology investment.