Cybersecurity in smart port systems: A systematic review and data-driven research agenda

The digital transformation of the maritime industry is reshaping global supply chains, with smart ports emerging as critical hubs of increasingly interconnected cyber-physical operations. Technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), and blockchain have significantly enhanced operational efficiency, automation capability, and supply chain coordination. However, the growing integration of digital and physical infrastructures has also expanded cybersecurity vulnerabilities and increased exposure to cyber threats, including ransomware, phishing, and Distributed Denial-of-Service (DDoS) attacks, which may disrupt critical port operations and maritime logistics networks. Existing research on smart port cybersecurity remains fragmented and has paid limited attention to the interrelationship between port digitalisation, evolving cyber risks, and governance challenges. Accordingly, this study aims to systematically review the current state of the art in cybersecurity research within port environments through the integration of a systematic literature review conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, CiteSpace-based bibliometric visualisation analysis, and empirical analysis of real-world cyberattack data. The findings indicate that smart port digitalisation simultaneously enhances operational capability while expanding cyberattack surfaces, increasing cyber-physical interdependencies, and amplifying the operational consequences of cyber incidents. The analysis further identifies major challenges associated with digital infrastructure vulnerabilities, Cyber-Physical System (CPS) security, governance fragmentation, human factors, and emerging AI-driven threats. Based on these findings, the study outlines future research directions concerning technological optimisation, resilience engineering, governance coordination, and socio-technical integration. The study contributes to both theory and practice by providing a systematic understanding of cybersecurity risk evolution in smart port ecosystems and offering insights for the development of more resilient and adaptive maritime cybersecurity governance strategies.