Port of Los Angeles receives around 40M cyber attacks each month

According to a new report, one of the world’s busiest ports, the Port of Los Angeles, has been the target of intense cyber attacks since the start of the pandemic. In an interview with BBC World Service over the weekend, Gene Seroka, executive director of the Port of Los Angeles, said the facility is bombarded with around 40 million attacks each month.

“Our intelligence shows that these threats come from Russia and parts of Europe. We have to stay one step ahead of those who want to harm international trade,” he told BBC. “We must take all precautions against potential cyber incidents, particularly those that could threaten or disrupt the flow of cargo.”

Ransomware, malware, spear phishing, and credential harvesting attacks are among the threats targeting the facility, which is the busiest port in the northern hemisphere. In many cases, the objective appears to disrupt the US economy, although profiting from extortion and data theft can also be another determining factor.

These threats can worsen supply chain problems if not managed properly. Seroka said the clogs at the port will not be entirely undone until next year, although the number of container ships waiting more than two days to unload has dropped from 109 in January to 20 nowadays. “The last two years have shown the vital role ports play in our country’s critical infrastructure, supply chains, and economy. So it’s critical that we keep the systems as secure as possible,” he said.

The challenge posed by cyber attacks is so prominent that the port of Los Angeles developed one of the first Cyber Resilience Centers in the world in partnership with the FBI. It provides a centralized place to receive, analyze and share threat intelligence with port stakeholders such as shipping companies. Such is their strategic importance to global commerce that ports have become a target for cybercriminals, especially those seeking to sabotage operations and extort organizations.

In late December last year, the US Coast Guard warned of a ransomware attack on an unnamed facility, disrupting operations for over 30 hours. In February of this year, oil terminals at some of Europe’s biggest ports were attacked by ransomware.

Source: Ciso Advisor

To read the full original article, please go to: https://www.cisoadvisor.com.br/porto-de-los-angeles-sofre-mais-de-40-milhoes-de-ataques-por-mes/

Sharing is caring!