Securing Harbours in the Digital Age with Key2XS

Harbours are critical hubs of international trade, energy supply, and passenger transport. Every day, thousands of containers, vessels, and people pass through their gates. This makes ports attractive targets for both cyber threats and physical intrusions. With the EU’s CER and NIS2 directives demanding higher resilience of critical entities, harbour authorities must rethink how they manage access to their infrastructure.

The Challenge: Hybrid Security Risks

Ports face unique risks that combine the physical and the digital:

• Physical access threats: Unauthorized contractors or insiders with mechanical keys can gain access to restricted zones such as fuel depots, power connections, or control rooms.

• Cyber intrusion attempts: Compromised IT accounts can provide attackers with digital entry points into terminal operating systems, vessel traffic systems, or customs platforms.

• Hybrid attacks: Increasingly, adversaries exploit both worlds using stolen or duplicated keys to enter restricted areas while simultaneously attacking IT/OT systems to disrupt port operations.

Traditional mechanical key management and siloed IT access controls are no longer sufficient to defend against such coordinated threats.

The Key2XS Solution

Key2XS bridges the digital identity world and physical key systems in one unified platform. By integrating leading key technologies such as ASSA ABLOY CLIQ and iLOQ with IAM platforms like Microsoft Entra ID, SailPoint, One Identity, OpenText and Okta, Key2XS provides a single pane of glass for managing all access rights both logical and physical.

Key Capabilities for Harbour Security

• Just-in-Time (JIT) keys: Harbour workers, contractors, and ship crews receive temporary, revocable access rights only when needed.

• Instant revocation: Lost or stolen keys can be blocked immediately, reducing the risk of unauthorized entry.

• AI-driven keyplans: Key2XS automatically generates optimized key hierarchies for complex harbour infrastructures — from container terminals to fuel pipelines — based on IAM roles and operational data.

• Audit & compliance reporting: Every key action is logged and aligned with CER/NIS2 reporting requirements, ensuring audit readiness at all times.

• SOC/SIEM integration: Security Operations Centers can monitor physical access events alongside cyber events, detecting hybrid attacks early.

Real-World Use Cases in Harbours

• Contractor Management: Maintenance crews working on cranes or fuel tanks receive JIT keys linked to their digital identities. Access expires automatically after the task is complete.

• Emergency Response: Firefighters or coast guard teams can be granted immediate access to specific zones during emergencies without manual reprogramming.

• Critical Zone Protection: Control rooms, IT servers, and energy supply units are protected with electronic keys tied directly to cybersecurity policies.

The Result: A Resilient Harbour

With Key2XS, harbour authorities gain:

• Improved operational efficiency: Less manual key distribution and paperwork.

• Reduced security risks: No more uncontrolled copies or standing permissions.

• Full compliance: Built-in alignment with CER and NIS2 obligations.

• Future-proof integration: Scalable across multiple terminals, logistic partners, and jurisdictions.

Key2XS keeps harbours safe by converging physical and digital access into one intelligent system. It empowers CROs, CISOs, and harbour managers to minimize risks, meet compliance demands, and ensure the safe flow of goods and passengers through Europe’s most critical gateways.