8 Tips to Help Keep Your Motor Carrier Business Safe From Cyber Attacks

Cybercrime is one of the fastest-growing variations of crime in the world, and vulnerability is not just limited to large retailers or financial services companies. Businesses of all sizes, including motor carriers and owner operators, face the risk of cyber loss.  

FBI data shows transportation steadily remains part of the top ten industries targeted with ransomware attacks by cybercriminals.*

Even if you don’t think a cyberattack could happen to you, take a moment to look around your operation—you may be more vulnerable than you think. Internet of Things (IoT) cyber attacks are expected to double by 2025. Your trucking company has likely implemented electronic logging devices and dashcams, which act as potential access points to your system in conjunction with traditional data and communication systems like emails and websites. 

Consider the story of Peter Latta, the CEO of a Pennsylvania trucking company. His company was the target of a ransomware attack in 2019 that shut down their entire communication network. Without the actions of their CIO and systems engineers, it may have been a lot worse. The full story can be found on Secure World Expo.

So what can be done to address this?   

Customers of Acuity have access to a wide range of free cyber risk management information and resources through the Acuity e-RiskHub®.  Additionally, cyber liability coverage should be part of a motor carrier’s insurance and risk management strategies. As a liability coverage, cyber liability protects against third-party damages, costs of defense, settlement, and judgments. It is triggered by a network security event, such as a breach of third-party business data, an unintended propagation of malware, or a denial of service attack. Additionally, cyber liability can provide first-party coverage to reimburse a business for the costs it incurs, including data and systems restoration, business income, and public relations expenses. 

Also, it is important to have a cybersecurity plan in place and train your employees to spot red flags.

Here are 8 tips to help keep your motor carrier business safe from cyberattacks:

1. Create rules requiring strong passwords with special characters and numbers
2. Teach your employees to recognize common phishing email scams and to avoid links that seem untrustworthy
3. Utilize antivirus and malware programs to help protect you from these types of scams
4. Keep your system software and operating systems updated for new security patches
5. Limit the amount of password attempts your employees have until they are locked out in case someone trying to impersonate them
6. Keep your software and data backed up
7. Create a disaster recovery plan
8. Review your IT department security protocol on a regular basis and update as needed

Sources
https://www.theinsidelane.co/trucking-industry-confronts-growing-cyber-threats

https://transportation.trimble.com/article/cybersecurity-awareness/

https://www.secureworldexpo.com/industry-news/trucking-industry-cyber-attacks

https://www.truckinsure.com/blog/security-tips-trucking-companies/

*FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) / Industry Reporting