Security challenges in multi-modal communication

Emerging maritime services rely more on digital message exchanges and less on voice communication. This requires proper implementation of mechanisms that provide robust and appropriate security for the technology that is used for ship-ship and ship-shore communication, both near shore and in open waters. This paper presents the concept of multi-modal communication, which encompass digital message exchange over different types of technologies and between sectors. We point to security challenges for existing technologies, and suggest how we can address these using an example from Search and Rescue operations that involves the maritime and additional sectors.