ENISA: Ransomware became a prominent threat against the transport sector in 2022

The European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) published its first cyber threat landscape report for the transport sector.

A new report published by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) analyzes threats and incidents in the transport sector. The report covers incidents in aviation, maritime, railway, and road transport industries between January 2021 and October 2022.

The report provides a detailed analysis of the prime threats to the transport sector, the threat actors and related motivations.

During the period covered by the report, the expert identified the following prime threats:

• ransomware attacks (38%),
• data related threats (30%),
• malware (17%),
• denial-of-service (DoS), distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) and ransom denial-of-service (RDoS) attacks (16%),
• phishing / spear phishing (10%),
• supply-chain attacks (10%).

During the reporting period, ransomware was the most prominent threat against the sector in 2022. The researchers pointed out that the ransomware attacks doubled compared to the previous year. Threat actors behind ransomware attacks are not exclusively financially-motivated.

Nation-state actors, cybercriminals, and hacktivists, are the threat actors with the biggest impact on the organizations in the sector.

Most of the attacks on the transport sector (54%) are carried out by cybercriminals.

The report warns that hacktivist activity targeting the transport sector, including DDoS attacks, is likely to continue. Airports, railways and transport authorities are privileged targets of hacktivists.

The good news is that ENISA experts did not receive reliable information on a cyberattack affecting the safety of transport.

The researchers also warn that future Ransomware attacks will likely target and disrupt OT operations.

“The majority of attacks on the transport sector target information technology (IT) systems. Operational
disruptions can occur as a consequence of these attacks, but the operational technology (OT) systems are
rarely being targeted.” states the report. “Ransomware groups will likely target and disrupt OT operations in the foreseeable future.”

The aviation sector is facing multiple threats, with ransomware and malware attacks and data-related threats being the most prominent threats. Experts warn of the number of ransomware
attacks targeting airports and rogue websites impersonating airlines used by scammers in 2022.

“Transport is a key sector of our economy that we depend on in both our personal and professional lives. Understanding the distribution of cyber threats, motivations, trends and patterns as well as their potential impact, is crucial if we want to improve the cybersecurity of the critical infrastructures involved.” said Juhan Lepassaar, EU Agency for Cybersecurity Executive Director.

Let me suggest the reading of the report that is available here:

https://www.enisa.europa.eu/publications/enisa-transport-threat-landscape

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Pierluigi Paganini

(SecurityAffairs – hacking, transport sector)