Cyberattacks Add To Complexity Of Transport

Red flags have been raised, particularly in Europe, about the hijacking by terrorist groups of vehicles carrying dangerous cargo.

Flammable cargoes such as gas can be used as mobile bombs with devastating impact, while terrorists could also tamper with vaccines and other medicines before introducing them into the marketplace.

The digitisation of fleet management and the connectivity of vehicles have introduced a new level of risk. While systems such as GPS tracking, telematics and Internet of things IoT devices have introduced new levels of efficiency and insight, they also open the door to cyber threats like hacking, data breaches and ransomware.

The list of cargoes that can be targeted by terrorists includes explosives, gases, flammable liquids, flammable solids, spontaneous combustibles, oxidisers, organic peroxides, toxic substances, infectious substances, radioactive materials and corrosives.

Security specialists warn that the threat is real and growing. According to an IBM survey, the transportation and trucking industry was the eighth most targeted for cyberattacks in 2023.