Singapore shipbuilder Sembcorp Marine has suffered a cyberattack that left information on employees and operations compromised, the firm announced Thursday.

The company said that it recently discovered a cybersecurity incident in which an unauthorized party accessed part of its IT network via third-party software products, gaining access to some information about personnel as well as non-critical information relating to its operations.

Sembcorp said it treated the incident seriously and took immediate actions, with cybersecurity experts appointed to seal up breaches, assist with an impact assessment, and strengthen IT security measures.

Based on the investigation and impact assessment, Sembmarine believes that the risks have been effectively addressed, with the company’s business operations remaining unaffected. The company has contacted affected personnel to help them manage any possible risks.

Sembmarine also notified the authorities and is working closely with them on the breach.

“The company is mindful of the concerns of all affected parties and would like to assure all our stakeholders that information security and the privacy of all stakeholders are our top priorities,” said the statement.

The breach is not expected to have any material impact on earnings for the fiscal year.

The cyberattack comes just days after Sembcorp revealed new optimism about its orderbook. The company posted a net loss of $104.4 million for the first half of 2022, improving from a $463 million net loss for the six months ended 30 June 2021. Revenues were up 30 percent year-on-year.

Source: https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/sembmarine-reports-cyber-breach-affecting-information-on-personnel

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Cyber-attacks on one of the world’s busiest ports have nearly doubled since the start of the Covid pandemic.

The number of monthly attacks targeting the Port of Los Angeles is now around 40 million, the port’s executive director Gene Seroka told the BBC.

Los Angeles is the busiest port in the western hemisphere, handling more than $250bn (£210bn) of cargo every year.

The threats are believed to come mainly from Europe and Russia, and aim to disrupt the US economy, Mr Seroka said.

“Our intelligence shows the threats are coming from Russia and parts of Europe. We have to stay steps ahead of those who want to hurt international commerce,” he told the BBC’s World Service.

Seaports move billions of dollars in goods every year, making them a unique target for cyber-criminals.

They face daily ransomware, malware, spear phishing and credential harvesting attacks, with the aim of causing as much disruption as possible and slowing down economies.

Teaming up with the FBI
The Port of Los Angeles is now working with the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s cyber-crime team to prevent attacks and improve cyber-security.

The port has invested millions of dollars in cyber-protection, developing one of the world’s first Cyber Resilience Centres, which is part of the FBI.

“We must take every precaution against potential cyber-incidents, particularly those that could threaten or disrupt the flow of cargo,” said Mr Seroka.

The Cyber Resilience Centre provides enhanced intelligence gathering and heightened protection against cyber-threats within the maritime supply chain.

It is a hub for the port to receive, analyse and share information with those who operate on the dock, such as cargo handlers and shipping lines.

Supply chain blockages
During the pandemic global supply chains slowed down as lockdowns closed factories and workers were forced to stay at home.

The strain on supply chains has since eased, Mr Seroka said. In January 2022 there were 109 container ships queuing for more than two days to get into the Port of Los Angeles. Today there are around 20 waiting to dock.

But Mr Seroka believes the blockages won’t clear completely until 2023. “There’s so much cargo coming in and not enough space,” he said.

“The past two years have proven the vital role that ports hold to our nation’s critical infrastructure, supply chains and economy. It’s paramount we keep the systems as secure as possible,” he added.
Source: BBC

Five years ago this week, Maersk said a cyber attack crippled its computer network, affecting its port terminal operations from India to the Netherlands, rippling across to nearly 60 countries and eventually causing as much as $300 million in damages.

It was, as Andy Jones refers to it in the parlance of cyber security experts, an “extinction event.”

Jones is the former chief information security officer at Maersk Line, and he has a podcast that recounts the event that unfolded and is worth listening to for advice on how to deal with hacking threats and actual intrusions.

The NotPetya attack in 2017 that hit Maersk and other global businesses seems so long ago given the bust-to-boom wave the shipping industry has ridden since then. Imagine if something that widespread happened today, as ports still struggle with economic imbalances caused by the pandemic.

Cyber threats are nothing new to maritime shipping and logistics more broadly. Every month seems to bring another event. Last week, UK delivery giant Yodel said its systems were compromised, though a spokesman said Monday the delivery network and customer service functions were fully operational.

Warning Flare

Now some experts, including a top US Coast Guard official, are sounding the alarm again about the rising risks not just on land, but on ships themselves. Such potential breaches of operational technology could do huge economic damage at a time when global supply chains are already frayed. (Click here for the full story today.)

Shipping is using much of its windfall profits from the pandemic era to upgrade technology, creating more digital linkages from land to water that are both a welcome step in a paper-laden business and a worry unless cyber precautions are taken.

“Ships and their systems were never designed to be connected in this manner and even a modern ship is a patchwork of different systems from different manufacturers who have all taken cyber security in various degrees of seriousness,” Jones said via email. “Some operators have taken this seriously, but with substantial fleets and ships that are probably over 30 years old, it is a very tall order.”

Across industry and government, there’s agreement that there needs to be more unified approach and more information sharing.

“Everybody needs to be all-in in this game and understand when there are vulnerabilities — getting that information out quickly is going to be thing that continues to help us close doors,” US Coast Guard Real Admiral Wayne Arguin told Bloomberg.

—Brendan Murray in London

Source: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/newsletters/2022-06-28/supply-chain-latest-ships-embracing-tech-upgrades-see-cyber-risks-rise