Weaponising Trust at Sea: AI-Enabled Multi-Vector Deception in Maritime Search and Rescue
Abstract:
Despite growing concern about cognitive warfare targeting critical infrastructure, maritime Search and Rescue (SAR) operations have received little systematic attention as potential targets, despite being life-saving activities, constantly happening around the globe, and involving efforts from both militaries, coast guards, and NGOs. This paper presents a disruption model based on the International Aeronautical and Maritime Search and Rescue (IAMSAR) Manual—employing Observe, Orient, Decide, Act (OODA) loop phases as analytical lenses—for understanding how AI-generated deception threatens maritime SAR effectiveness. Alongside the model, a supporting attack taxonomy categorises the principal vectors through which deepfake audio and AI-generated false Automatic Identification System (AIS) signals can corrupt SAR decision making. Three detailed scenarios demonstrate how coordinated multi-vector deception exploits maritime culture’s duty to assist alongside defensive navigation principles, forcing responses even when operators suspect deception, or enabling strategic maneuvers through resource diversion, with potentially fatal consequences. The paper identifies technical, cognitive, and policy directions for countermeasure development, and outlines a research agenda for empirical validation.
AUTHORS
Department of Information Security Royal Holloway, University of London
Egham, Surrey, United Kingdom
Francesco Ferazza is a postgraduate researcher of cyber security at Royal Holloway, University of London, where he explores the intersection of academic theory and technical application. His research focus spans cyber security and DevOps, with a specialized focus on strategic studies and the emerging challenges of maritime cyber security. Parallel to his research, he serves as the Director of IT for Ziff Davis Global Partners, overseeing the technology infrastructure and strategy.
University of Kent School of Computing
Canterbury, Kent, United Kingdom
Darren Hurley-Smith is a Senior Lecturer in cyber security at the University of Kent. His research focuses on cyber-physical security, network security, and modelling of autonomous agents in safety-critical environments. Prior to joining Kent in 2024, he was a Senior Lecturer in the Information Security Group at Royal Holloway University of London (2019-2024), where he also served as Technical Manager of the Omnidrome UAV and Autonomous Systems Development Facility. His work explores automated decision-making systems, resilience, and human-technology interaction in complex operational contexts, such as urban drone swarms and autonomous shipping.
Department of Information Security Royal Holloway, University of London
Egham, Surrey, United Kingdom
Konstantinos Mersinas is an Associate Professor at the Information Security Group, Royal Holloway, University of London, and Visiting Professor at Keio University, Tokyo, Japan. Konstantinos' research lies with human and behavioural aspects of cybersecurity, maritime security, and cybercrime. He has advised the UK All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on the Online Safety Act and Maritime Security, the UK Fraud Act and Digital Fraud Committee, and is a member of UK Government Departments. He is co-founder of the research group HIVE, an interdisciplinary group that bridges cybersecurity, law, and criminology with psychology. Konstantinos collaborates with the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) in Tallinn, Estonia and he is Director at the International Cyber Security Centre of Excellence (INCS-CoE), an international community founded between UK, U.S., and Japan, promoting cybersecurity research globally.
Published In
Journal of Information Warfare
The definitive publication for the best and latest research and analysis on information warfare, information operations, and cyber crime. Available in traditional hard copy or online.
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