Costa Mar launches cybersecurity audit after port alert system breach

Costa Mar's Marine Ministry confirmed on Friday that its port alert and vessel-tracking systems were accessed without authorization sometime in the past ten days. The breach did not trigger false warnings or disrupt port operations, but it exposed a gap in the region's digital defenses at a moment when federal infrastructure across all four regions faces increasing scrutiny.

The unauthorized access was detected during a routine audit of the Maritime Monitoring Centre in Puerto Azul. System logs showed an external IP address accessing the alert network's configuration files on October 27. The intruder did not alter any data or trigger any alarms, but the breach confirmed that the system's firewall contained a known vulnerability that had not been patched.

Governor Solomon Adeyemi announced an immediate review of all port and marine-monitoring systems. "We have ordered a full cybersecurity audit of regional digital infrastructure," Adeyemi said in a statement. "Costa Mar's maritime systems are critical to our economy and our environment. They will be hardened." The Regional Assembly's Public Safety Committee has scheduled hearings for November 10.