Cybersecurity of Power Electronic Converters in Maritime Systems: Threat Landscape, Modeling, and Resilient Mitigation Strategies

With the increasing electrification and automation of maritime vessels, power electronic converters have become the backbone of shipboard power systems, interfacing various onboard generation sources with propulsion loads and auxiliary systems. These converters, integrated into a cyber-physical environment, are responsible for functions such as voltage and frequency control, reactive power compensation, and system stability support under dynamic maritime conditions. However, their increasing reliance on real-time data exchange, remote monitoring, and software-defined functionalities has led to a significant rise in cybersecurity exposure. The growing attack surface, exacerbated by communication interfaces and over-the-air firmware updates, makes shipboard power converters a critical vulnerability point in maritime operations. This paper presents a comprehensive overview of emerging cyber threats against power electronic converters in maritime environments, assessing current defense strategies and practical attack vectors. Furthermore, it proposes a structured security and resilience framework specifically tailored to shipboard converters, aiming to guide the design of cyber-resilient converter architectures and bridge the gap between cybersecurity and maritime power electronics domains.