LP 57/2016 Gulf of Guinea: Maritime Cyber Threat, The Risk of Email Phishing

The MDAT-GoG (Marine Domain Awareness for Trade – Gulf of Guinea) has received reports of hackers in the Gulf of Guinea targeting merchant vessels in a process known as email phishing.

The process involves attempting to coerce mariners to send information that may be commercially sensitive in nature that may have implications for both the ship and the company.

The Nigerian Navy has also issued a message to all ships that are either transiting in or off Nigeria’s waters and the wider Gulf of Guinea.

Members are reminded to be on alert for cyber threats, to verify the validity of all such messages and report any suspect activity to the newly formed MDAT-GoG.

MDAT-GoG contact details are as follows:
Email: watchkeepers@mdat-gog.org
Telephone: +33985228888
Calls to this number will be answered either in Brest or in Portsmouth.

A copy of one of the phishing emails is shown below:

From: Regional Coastguard [mailto:coastguard.gog@gmail.com]

Sent: Montag, 27. Juni 2016 14:38
To: xxxx
Subject: GOG Coastguards/ security alerts

Dear Vessel Owner,

The regional coastguards require the following information for your vessel: XXXX That is presently in the Gulf of Guinea regional waters:
Vessels VHF channel
Call sign
Vessel Email
This is to enable our office to give any necessary alerts to vessels while they are approaching the different ports.

RGDS
Kugo Pascal Darcy
GOG Regional Coastguard
Email: coastguard.gog@gmail.com