Protect yourself against Christmas cyber attacks

Hauliers are being urged to protect themselves over the festive season against cyber attacks that could bring their businesses to a halt.

Security firm Bosh CyberCompare said that as the run-up to Christmas was one of the busiest in the calendar for logistics firms it was easy to prioritise operations over everything else – but it was crucial they remained focused against attacks.

It said being prepared was the cornerstone of robust cybersecurity and that data from the Cyber Rescue Alliance revealed logistics firms that were attacked in 2023 had shown signs of vulnerability for months beforehand.

Nehal Thakore, pictured, UK & Ireland country head at Bosh CyberCompare, said ways of ensuring protection included checking in with third parties.

“The regular evaluation of third party cyber security practices is an absolute must for logistics firms, particularly as so much of their operations are dependent on third parties,” he said. “If it’s been a while since third party security measures were checked, it could be an ideal time to review them and make sure they’re still aligning with company policies, procedures and best practices to protect against cyber threats.”

He also said planning for a worst case scenario was useful as cyber attacks were now “an inevitable part of business life” and having a plan in place meant hauliers could react quickly and minimise the damage.

Thakore also recommended a real-time overview of operations in order to continuously monitor networks and systems for potential breaches and ensuring data is encrypted at every point of a haulage firm’s operation – both at rest and in transit.

“It might seem obvious, but as busy periods creep up, keeping on top of cyber security basics can fall further down the priority list,” he said. “By taking a little time to keep all software and operating systems up to date and undertake regular patch management, companies can prevent vulnerability and security flaws that could prove costly down the line.”

Earlier this year, administrators at FRP Advisory said a major ransomware attack was a key contributor to the collapse of KNP Logistics Group, which ultimately led to 730 staff being made redundant.

IT solutions provider Cheeky Munkey has previously warned that logistics firms in particular were leaving themselves vulnerable to sophisticated cyber attacks involving artificial intelligence, but they could utilise the new technology themselves to fight back.

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