Miranda Blake
Five common cybercrime signs to watch out for in the trucking industry
Created: 16-09-2024
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Updated: 16-09-2024
No industry is safe from the threat of cyberattacks, not least of all trucking. In fact, 4.3% targeted transportation companies in 2023. For hackers, they’re an ideal victim. This is because they process substantial sensitive data and can’t afford time delays, making them great prospects for ransomware.
Transportation businesses are also susceptible to other types of cyberattack due to how technology and AI have transformed the sector, increasing the reliance on these and multiple connected systems – which gives cybercriminals entry into larger organisations. With other reasons to target the industry including that there’s a general lack of awareness around cybersecurity in the sector, it’s evident that it’s incredibly vulnerable.
The statistics back up the concern. For example, ransomware attacks across Europe have increased by as much as 41% – specifically in the transport space. While this may seem scary, knowing the signs of cybercrime will help you reduce your chance of being a victim of it. In this blog, we share the five most common ones.
1. Performance deterioration
Are employees complaining about the operating system, internet, or software running slow? Or they can’t open a particular application? While this isn’t necessarily a cyberattack, it is a key indicator. So, if you notice any type of performance deterioration, flag it to the relevant people. It’s crucial that whatever the problem is, it’s taken out of the online world as soon as possible.
On a similar note, if there’s uncharacteristically high system, network, or disk activity, this is another sign – most applications are usually idle in the background.
2. Suspicious emails
You’ll likely know all about phishing attacks – and they’re getting more and more sophisticated. If anything appears to be from a legitimate company and requests bank information or a payment, then it’s best to check with the organisation in question.
Opening a link and needing to enter an ID and password is another way that hackers can intercept emails. Responding to the email is an issue too – this confirms the recipient email address, which may trigger further phishing attacks. As a result, relevant training is crucial.
3. Sceptical activity
Emails aren’t the only thing you and employees should be aware of. Web pop-up windows are best avoided – you shouldn’t even close them. While some will be completely innocent, there’s always the risk that one could contain malware or spyware that puts your network at peril.
In addition, make sure to tackle any strange activity from a user. This could be logging in during unusual hours and from abnormal locations or from a few different locations in a short period of time.
4. Self-running systems
Is a programme doing any of the following:
· Running itself
· Switching itself off
· Reconfiguring itself
Or are there even multiple programmes doing this? First, check if there’s a source within the company that could have caused this. If there’s not, then it’s a symptom of a cyberattack.
5. Restricted access
If an employee can’t access an account or document, or they’re somehow locked out of a system and have received an email claiming that their password has been changed, this is another key indication of a cybercrime.
Although you can’t stop this one, a great practice is to ensure every team member has a strong password that’s updated on a regular basis. This will also help avert situations like hackers deleting software or files, changing file contents, or installing software.
The importance of partnering with secure providers
As you can see, prevention is crucial to not falling foul of a cyberattack. And core to this is ensuring that providers’ technology is as safe as can be.
With SNAP, you’ll have a secure account to use for your fleet operations, giving you peace of mind over the risk of cybercrime – learn more about what we could do for your business on our website.
