Hackers attack shipmanagement software vendors

UK-based cyber security firm CyberOwl has warned shipmanagement software vendors that it could become a focus of hackers.

The company noted that  Voyager Worldwide and DNV’s ShipManager software both had been hit by cyber attacks in the past couple of months. It added that other cyber incidents could be going unreported. There was strong speculation that hackers were targeting this type of software providers.

Daniel Ng, CEO of CyberOwl, said that “we’re watching this trend closely as it’s worrying there’s a number of attacks on shipping software in reasonably close succession”. He added that it was “part of a wider pattern of attackers targeting supply chains and supplier systems. It makes economic sense for them – they can impact multiple vessels, rather than singular vessels”.

A shipping cyber security survey published last year by CyberOwl, maritime innovation agency Thetius and law firm HFW, found that 44% of respondents reported that their organization has been the subject of a cyber attack at some point in the previous three years. Of those, 3% resulted in a ransom being paid by the victim to the attacker, at an average cost of $3.1m.

The DNV ransomware attack earlier this month affected 70 customers and about 1,000 ships.

Source: Insurance Marine News, February 3rd 2023