Hackers are working with organised crime groups to steal physical freight, posing as brokers or carriers, deploying malware, and rerouting real-world shipments, according to new research from cybersecurity firm Proofpoint, as reported by Bloomberg. The attackers are targeting freight brokers and trucking carriers with phishing emails and social engineering tactics. These messages often include credential stealers or remote-access malware, allowing hackers to manipulate shipment details once inside a company’s network.
Proofpoint says it has “high confidence” that the hackers are coordinating with organised criminal networks. The goal is to hijack loads, and the stolen goods are likely resold online or shipped overseas.
“There’s a huge sense of urgency to get loads,” said Ole Villadsen, a Proofpoint threat researcher and co-author of the report, quoted by Bloomberg. “Dispatchers… [are] willing to throw caution to the wind if it means they might be able to get a load.”
Proofpoint says it has observed nearly two dozen distinct campaigns in just the last two months, and at least three known criminal groups involved. The company’s analysts describe this as a "marriage of cybercrime and organised crime.”
“[It] really requires a lot of effort on law enforcement, on businesses, on the end user,” Proofpoint’s Selena Larson told Bloomberg. “It is a full-scale supply chain threat.”
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