Cho Myeong-seob, left, vice president of Hanwha Systems' Naval Division, poses with Darren Leskoski, vice president of the ABS Northern Pacific Region, during the E27 certification ceremony in Seoul, Monday. Courtesy of Hanwha Systems

Hanwha Systems' proprietary cybersecurity solution, SecuAider, received the E27 Type Approval certification from the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS), marking the first time an Asian company has achieved this milestone, the company said on Tuesday. The certification positions Hanwha Systems to expand into the global shipbuilding and maritime cybersecurity market.

According to the firm, the ABS presented the certification during a ceremony in Seoul, Monday. SecuAider also obtained certification from the Korean Register in December 2023.

The E27 Type Approval certification evaluates the performance and safety of ship equipment throughout its lifecycle — design, manufacturing, operation and maintenance — with a focus on cybersecurity. Onboard systems and equipment with this certification can be exported and supplied to global shipyards and shipping companies certified by the ABS.

The International Association of Classification Societies, which includes maritime classification companies like ABS, DNV, Lloyd's Register and Korean Register, recently mandated that ships built after July 2024 must comply with cyber resilience standards. As a result, onboard systems and equipment must also obtain E27 Type Approval certification.

SecuAider, developed entirely with Hanwha Systems' proprietary technology, enhances cyber resilience by protecting data and networks on ships. It safeguards against advanced cyber threats, such as ransomware, distributed denial-of-service, or DDoS, attacks and malicious code infections. The solution uses artificial intelligence-based anomaly detection, cyber threat hunting, and real-time remote response to analyze and manage cyber risks without degrading the performance of legacy onboard systems.

"SecuAider offers highly compatible and flexible standardized interfaces that seamlessly integrate with both domestic and international commercial ship equipment," the company said in a statement.

"Leveraging SecuAider, which has been certified as a world-class cybersecurity solution, we aim to strengthen the cybersecurity of various commercial ship lines and defense companies, both domestically and internationally. We are also exploring opportunities to expand into major markets, including the United States."