Blogpost

Cyberattacks Logistics Industry: Rivers, Roads and Rails

By Nasser Fattah
December 10, 2021

Since its founding in 1871 as a one-man business transporting goods by horse-drawn cart, Hellman Worldwide Logistics has grown into one of the largest international logistics providers. 

 

With high-performance offerings in the Airfreight, Seafreight, Road & Rail, and Contract Logistics solutions,  Hellman Worldwide is known for enabling efficient supply chains. Hellman Worldwide Logistics has 489 offices in 173 countries. In 2020, the Hellmann Group achieved a turnover of around €2.5bn.

 

Hellmann Worldwide Logistics’ operational core has been hit by a cyberattack. On December 9, Hellman Worldwide said that while external security specialists are working to restore operations “We can currently not rule out that there have been data leakages or unauthorized use of data.”

 

Hellman’s website warns  “As a precautionary measure, we disconnected our data centers temporarily, which has a material impact on our business operations. We are working with the highest priority on the resolution of the current situation.” 

 

Logistics companies play a vital role in the supply chain as they move and store essential goods between different points: the point of origin and the point of consumption.  Many of the goods moved by logistics companies include what we buy from supermarket shelves, produced in one region of the world and consumed in another.  Many of these items are basic necessities.

 

Today, the movement of goods is a global process that requires a concerted effort because the supply chain may include transportation, shipping, receiving, storage, and management of goods.  The slightest kink in the chain can cause the business to suffer simply because of untimely deliveries. Businesses know that implementing seamless logistics is essential to keep pace with customer demands and remain competitive.

 

Cyberattacks remain a continual threat in the transport and logistics industry:

  • In September 2021, the Port of Houston suffered a cyberattack.
  • In February 2020, Japan Post-owned freight forwarder Toll Group was forced to shut down IT systems after a cyberattack.

 

Last February, President Biden ordered a supply chain stability review as the American supply chain experienced instability introduced by the pandemic.

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Author:

Nasser Fattah

A Senior Advisor to Shared Assessments, Nasser has 20+ years as a Cybersecurity, Supply Chain and IT leader.

With a focus on customer-first and team building approaches, Fattah is able to align programs to support company strategies, regulatory requirements, and growth initiatives.

He drives cybersecurity, supply chain and IT as enablers for enterprise-wide transformation initiatives.  He partners with executives to identify and select strategic external partners to deliver essential IT and cybersecurity services to the business.

Nasser worked with global parent company and subsidiaries to establish technology standards to maximize investments and operations efficacy to best support business needs and growth.

Nasser has a strong, consistent record working successfully with Business and IT executives, regulators, auditors, and risk partners.

Nasser also teaches cybersecurity at several colleges, and is the chair for North America Shared Assessments – an industry best practices for supply chain.