The gap nobody else is filling
Most maritime security firms are either pure IT consultancies that produce compliance reports but never touch hardware, or marine electronics integrators who install equipment but don't understand cybersecurity. Neither understands the human side — the crew who are the first and last line of defense.
We cover all three — and that's the difference.
We deploy real hardware
UniFi Dream Machine Pro, managed switches, access points, IP cameras, and door control hardware — procured, staged, and installed by us. Not just a Visio diagram.
We write the compliance docs
Every installation is documented against IMO, NIST CSF, IEC 62443, and USCG frameworks. You get a risk register, a network diagram, and an audit package.
We train the crew
DeckSecure, our in-house training game, covers exact regulatory requirements and generates the documentation USCG and IMO require operators to keep.
We understand human behavior
Irina's background in clinical research and human health brings a rare understanding of how people learn, retain information, and respond under pressure — critical for effective security training design.
Built for both sides of the hull
Tyler Higgins co-founded Maverick Security LLC after years of enterprise IT and security work that consistently exposed the same gap: organizations with sophisticated cybersecurity programs but no visibility into — or control over — their physical network infrastructure.
The maritime sector makes this gap especially dangerous. A superyacht's bridge network may be running on the same physical infrastructure as crew Wi-Fi and guest internet. Navigation systems, engine management, and communications all share exposure to the same threat surface. The maritime electronics integrator who installed those systems almost certainly isn't thinking about network segmentation or firewall policy.
Maverick Security was built to fill exactly that gap — deploying the hardware, hardening the configuration, documenting everything against the applicable frameworks, and training the crew who operate in that environment.
Education
- M.S.Cybersecurity — University of Advancing Technology
- B.S.Network Security — Magna Cum Laude, NSA-Designated Institution
Technical Competencies
Network Infrastructure
Security Platforms
Cloud & Automation
Where human science meets security training
Irina Higgins brings a decade of clinical research and human health science experience to Maverick Security — a perspective that most cybersecurity firms simply don't have. Her background in translational research, biomedical publication, and clinical coordination at Mayo Clinic informs how we design training programs that actually change behavior, not just check compliance boxes.
With published research in immunology, the microbiome, and clinical therapeutics, Irina understands how humans process information, respond to stress, and develop lasting habits. That knowledge is directly applicable to security awareness training — which fails most often not because of bad content, but because of poor learning design.
Irina leads the design and content development for DeckSecure and all Maverick Security training programs, bringing rigor and a research-backed methodology to everything she builds.
Education
- M.S.Technology Leadership — University of Advancing Technology 3.96 GPA
- B.S.Biology / Pre-Medicine — Winona State University
Professional Background
Clinical Research
Research & Publication
Training & Instruction
Selected Publications
- 1Murray JA et al. (incl. Horwath I). Latiglutenase Protects the Mucosa and Attenuates Symptom Severity in Patients With Celiac Disease Exposed to a Gluten Challenge. Gastroenterology, Dec 2022.
- 2Abadie V et al. (incl. Horwath I). IL-15, Gluten and HLA-DQ8 Drives tissue destruction in coeliac disease. Nature, Feb 2020.
- 3Toya T et al. (incl. Horwath IE). Compositional change of gut microbiome and osteocalcin expressing endothelial progenitor cells in patients with coronary artery disease. PLoS One, Mar 2021.
- 4Marietta E, Horwath I et al. Administration of Human Derived Upper gut Commensal Prevotella histicola delays the onset of type 1 diabetes in NOD mice. BMC Microbiology, Jan 2022.
- 5Marietta E, Horwath I, Balakrishnan B, Taneja V. Role of the intestinal microbiome in autoimmune diseases and its use in treatments. Cell Immunology, 2019.
Ready to work together?
Schedule a free 30-minute Maritime Cyber Readiness Check and we'll tell you exactly where you stand.
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