US Coast Guard and FBI personnel boarded two foreign-flagged commercial vessels in the Gulf of Mexico last month after receiving indications that their computer networks had been compromised. This unusual operation, conducted on August 21 and August 24, comes amidst a rise in cyber incidents that some media reports have linked to Iran. Rear Adm. Amy Grable, commander of U.S. Coast Guard Cyber Command, confirmed the discovery of evidence of a malicious cyber actor, though the Coast Guard has not publicly attributed the attacks to Iran.
One of the targeted ships was identified by Iranian state media as the VL Prosperity, a 1,093-foot Liberian-flagged crude oil tanker heading to Galveston, Texas. Iran's Mehr News Agency reported on August 20 that the VL Prosperity was attacked on August 7 while transiting the Strait of Gibraltar, claiming hackers accessed propulsion, navigation, and cargo systems, and disrupted communications for 30 hours. US officials also revealed they are tracking cyber threats against nearly 20 other shipping vessels worldwide.
Cyberattacks on the shipping sector are a growing concern, with the average cost of dealing with an attack doubling between 2022 and 2023 to $550,000. In cases where hackers cannot be easily removed, the average ransom payment is now $3.2 million. The increasing reliance of modern commercial vessels on internet-connected systems for navigation, propulsion, and other critical functions creates more vulnerabilities. Experts warn that a successful cyberattack could lead to severe consequences, including collisions, explosions, pollution incidents, or blockages of waterways, all of which could have significant economic repercussions, given that $5.4 trillion in commerce flows through U.S. ports annually.
The Coast Guard emphasizes that the main concern is the connection between IT systems and operational technology that controls critical ship functions. A single firewall often separates satellite internet connections from vital onboard systems like navigation, propulsion, and steering. As ships adopt more satellite communications and integrate IT networks with control systems, the risk of cyber threats increases. The Coast Guard Cyber Protection Team has conducted 40 to 50 such missions in the past year, investigating for malware and making recommendations to vessel owners.
