On December 9, Hellmann Worldwide Logistics reported disconnecting their data centers due to an ongoing cyber attack. According to Air Cargo news reporting, Hellmann Logistics is a global operator of air, sea, road & rail freight, with 489 offices in 173 countries and 2020 revenues of around €2.5bn. The company has not revealed if ransomware is involved or what data may have been leaked, but as of 12/10, the systems are still down. The Hellman IT-Infrastructure page carries this update:
"The attack was discovered and is continuously observed and analyzed by Hellmann´s Global Crisis Taskforce. In addition, external renowned security specialists were called in. As a precautionary measure, all connections to the central data center were immediately disconnected temporarily, which currently still has material impact on our business operations."
Experts from Gurucul and Shared Assessments offer perspective.
Saryu Nayyar, CEO, Gurucul (she/her):
"As if the world logistics engine has not been strained enough over the last several months, German logistics firm Hellmann Worldwide Logistics has apparently been attacked and most or all operations suspended. The company notes that it has disconnected its main data center from other systems in an attempt to mitigate damage but can’t guarantee that there hasn’t been a data breach.
The disruption to just-in-time supply chains has already been pretty much destroyed over the last 18 months, and attacks like this add fuel to that fire. Companies that are intimately involved in logistics and supply chain operations need to up their game on the cybersecurity front, and detect intruders before they can cause significant damage, not only to their own enterprise but to the worldwide supply chain."
Nasser Fattah, North America Steering Committee Chair, Shared Assessments:
“Logistics companies play a vital role in the supply chain due to their capability to move and store goods between different points of origins and consumption. Think of goods that we buy from the supermarket shelves that are produced in one region of the world and consumed in another. And many of these items are basic necessities.
Today the movement of goods is a global process that requires a concerted effort because the supply chain may include transportation, shipping, receiving, storage, and management of goods. The slightest kink in the chain can cause the business to suffer simply because of untimely deliveries. And businesses know that implementing seamless logistics is essential to keep pace with customer demands and remain competitive.”
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