The more high-tech that is built into truck fleets, the more efficient fleet management becomes. There are also safety aspects in road traffic. But with networking, the risks of a cyber attack on the logistics industry also increase.
So-called Advanced Driver Assistance Systems, or ADAS for short, can be found in more and more vehicles, both in cars and in trucks. They should make life easier for the driver, ensure more safety and avoid driving errors. In addition, they enable more efficient and environmentally friendly fleet management, for example through intelligent route planning. But the new systems also harbor risks, because greater networking offers cybercriminals further opportunities for attack. This became clear back in 2016 when Omnitracs, one of the largest manufacturers of logging devices for recording travel times, had to admit that its products could be hacked. Since the devices have been mandatory in many delivery vehicles in the USA for several years, this results in a huge number of potential destinations.
Vulnerable Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
Now the American Trucking Association has also issued a new guideline on which security measures should be taken to identify and avoid vulnerabilities for cyber attacks. It is also explicitly pointed out how important these measures are in times of ransomware and cyber attacks. The association particularly emphasizes that cybersecurity is not just a problem for the IT department, but affects all areas of a logistics company, from vehicle maintenance in the workshop to management. In addition, the association wants to set up a subscription service to warn members of potential threats affecting the operation of truck haulage companies.
Cyber crime threatens the logistics industry
Problems with cybercrime are likely to concern the logistics industry in the future, and not just in the USA. All over the world, more and more vehicles are equipped with ever more potent high-tech systems, which on the one hand increase security, but can have a potentially fatal effect in the event of an attack. Just think of a truck with an autopilot that would drive it into a group of people. And even less dramatic scenarios could have drastic effects, for example if the sensitive supply chains are interrupted by decommissioned trucks or the cooling of food transports is manipulated. And we saw how dependent we are nowadays on intact supply chains this year when the cargo ship Ever Given blocked the Suez Canal and deliveries of goods could no longer be transported to their destination. The consequences of this incident can still be felt months later.
The list of possible cyber attacks on truck freight companies is long and continues to grow with new technologies. Fleet operators would do well to prioritize cybersecurity in all areas of the company. Because the larger the attack surface, the greater the threat situation.
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About 8com The 8com Cyber Defense Center effectively protects the digital infrastructures of 8coms customers from cyber attacks. It includes security information and event management (SIEM), vulnerability management and professional penetration tests. It also offers the setup and integration of an Information Security Management System (ISMS) including certification according to current standards. Awareness measures, security training and incident response management round off the offer.