Cybersafetyconnections October 15, 2023 Vol#139 

  • Transportation company becomes victim of a cyber-attack,from konbriefing Estes Express Lines – Richmond, Virginia, USA. 
  • The cyberattack affected customers, vendors and employees with the IT systems shut down while the freight services were not disrupted. 
  • Not much has been shared about the cybercriminals responsible for the cyberattack. 
  • Estes Express Lines took steps to mitigate the loss from cyberattack and there are recommendations for cybersecurity for the transportation industry as well. 

What happened? 

logistica de distribucion 

Estes Express Lines fell victim to a cyberattack on according to ccjdigital causing an outage in its core infrastructure and impacting several of its systems. While the company is working to resolve the issue, it has expressed gratitude towards its employees for effectively delivering freight during this challenging time. 

Who has been affected? 

A week after network intrusion 

Customers, vendors and employees may have been affected and the IT systems shut down while freight was not disrupted through the efforts of employees and vendors. 

Which cybercriminals were responsible for the cyberattack? 

Hacker Images 

There is no readily available information as to the source of the attack. 

How has (is) the loss from the cyberattack being mitigated? 

The incident highlights the critical need for the transportation industry to improve its cybersecurity measures. The transportation industry has been a popular target for cybercriminals for years, with almost 280 transportation organizations worldwide suffering data breaches. According to the 2023 Travelers Risk Index, cyber threats rank among the top three business concerns, with 58% of respondents worrying about cyber-attacks. In the light of this concern, 

  • Estes has been working tirelessly after the cyberattack to restore its IT systems securely and safely and reported that many of their core systems were again operational following the implementation of additional security measures. 
  • Through the dedication of the employees and with the help of its vendors, freight delivery services were not interrupted. 
  • 2023 Travelers Risk Index report also highlights the industry’s need to improve its cybersecurity preparedness by taking proactive measures to address vulnerabilities and manage through cyber events effectively. 
  • The proactive measures include; 
    • regularly simulating cyberattacks to identify vulnerable areas,  
    • purchasing cyber insurance, and
    • developing business continuity and cybersecurity incident response plans. 

Summary 

In addition to the steps taken by Estes Express Lines to mitigate loss, the proactive steps recommended by 2023 Travelers Risk Index will help transportation companies to not only minimize cyber risks but also keep their customers’ data secure. 

Subscribe to get the latest blog post.