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425 S. Palos Verdes Street,
San Pedro, California USA 90731
Phone: (310) 732-3508
Email: community@portla.org

Cybersecurity

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About Cybersecurity at the Port of Los Angeles

Over the last decade, the Port of Los Angeles has increasingly focused on expanding the digitization of its operations and creating an enhanced ‘smart port’ community. 
 
While this increased use of digital technologies has resulted in more efficiencies and cargo planning capabilities throughout the supply chain, it has also prompted the need for the Port to develop more sophisticated systems to protect against cybersecurity risks and disruption threats to both Port operations and the overall supply chain.
 
This need for additional cybersecurity protection became even more evident during the COVID-19 pandemic, when the Port detected a significant increase in the level of cyber threats. 
 
Cybersecurity and advocating for a secure and responsible digitized supply chain has long been a priority at the Port, even before the pandemic. The Port’s 2018-2022 Strategic Plan identifies cybersecurity as a top priority, both in support of goods movement and overall operational risk mitigation.

Cyber Security Operations Center

Cyber Security Operations Center
In 2014, the Port was the first seaport in the nation to establish a Cyber Security Operations Center (CSOC) and staff it with a dedicated cybersecurity team. The CSOC currently serves as a centralized hub for proactively monitoring the Port’s own technology environment to prevent and detect cyber incidents. In 2015, the Port also became the first port to achieve ISO 27001 information security management certification.
 
As the cyber threat and risk landscape continues to rapidly change, the Port continues to research and invest in the most current technology and safeguards to further enhance its cybersecurity management capabilities.

Cyber Resilience Center

In 2021, the Port was the first seaport in the world to establish a Cyber Resilience Center (CRC), which is an automated port community cyber defense solution. The CRC was collaboratively designed by Port of Los Angeles supply chain stakeholders and is being operated by IBM. Focused on detecting and protecting against malicious cyber incidents potentially impacting cargo flow, this first-of-its-kind system also greatly improves the quality, quantity and speed of cyber information sharing, as well as the collective knowledge of threats within the Port’s ecosystem.  
 
Serving as an early warning detector against possible cyberattacks, the new CRC enables participants—such as tenants and cargo handlers—to quickly share threat indicators with each other and better coordinate defensive responses as needed. Additionally, the CRC serves as an information resource that stakeholders can rely upon to help restore operations following an attack.
Cyber Resilience Center Logo

Collaboration

Internationally, the Port of Los Angeles co-chairs the chainPORT Cyber Resilience Working Group. Initiated by the Hamburg Port Authority and Port of Los Angeles in 2018, chainPORT is an international partnership among the world’s leading ports, designed to share innovations, strategies and best practices. 
 
On a national level, the Port of Los Angeles chairs the American Association of Port Authorities (AAPA) Cybersecurity Committee for collaboration with U.S. ports and other federal agencies.
 
Locally, the Port of Los Angeles collaborates with law enforcement and other City of Los Angeles departments on cybersecurity.