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FBI and Coast Guard Board Hacked Oil Tankers
Confirmed
In Short: The Coast Guard and FBI boarded two foreign vessels carrying oil to investigate potential cyberattacks, highlighting vulnerabilities in maritime cybersecurity.
The Coast Guard and FBI boarded two foreign vessels carrying oil last month to investigate potential cyberattacks, according to a joint statement from the agencies Wednesday. The boarding party included Coast Guard law enforcement personnel, Coast Guard Cyber Protection Team members, a vessel inspector, and FBI Cyber Action Team operators.
The first incident occurred on August 21 when the VL Prosperity, a 333-meter oil tanker, was boarded while en route to Galveston, Texas. The ship reportedly lost communication for over 30 hours after being hacked in the Strait of Gibraltar.
A second foreign-flagged tanker was boarded on August 24 under similar circumstances. Both vessels were carrying oil and natural gas, and the Coast Guard confirmed the operation publicly only in mid-September after journalists inquired.
The Coast Guard is actively managing communications with port operators, vessel owners, and local maritime stakeholders to ensure port operations continue safely and without interruption. The company stated it has rigorous cyber protocols in place to ensure the safety and security of vessels under its care.
The incident underscores the risks posed by cyberattacks on maritime vessels, which can cause cascading harm to the global supply chain. Tankers often have complex networks that aid with navigation, cargo organization, and service operations, making them prime targets for hackers.
What's confirmed
- The Aug. 21 boarding party included Coast Guard law enforcement personnel, Coast Guard Cyber Protection Team members, a vessel inspector and FBI Cyber Action Team operators, who boarded “to conduct a comprehensive cyber security boarding and investigation,” according to the agencies’ joint statement.
What's still developing
- Coast Guard cyber teams have been investigating “dark fleets” carrying sanctioned oil from Iran and Russia, which rely on digital masking to hide their operations and carry enhanced cyber risks, The Wall Street Journal reported in June.
- Iranian-backed hackers have since launched a destructive hack at medical device maker Stryker, hacked the mass transit system in Los Angeles, and compromised over a hundred water facilities across the United States in response to the widespread U.S. bombing of Iran.
- Tankers often have complex networks sprawling the span of the vessel to aid with navigation, organizing cargo, and ensuring the regular running of services necessary with operating a massive ship.
- A spokesperson for the Coast Guard did not immediately respond to a request for comment when emailed by TechCrunch on Friday, including asking for the names of the vessels involved.
- Bloomberg News identified one of the tankers as VL Prosperity, and Iranian government-backed news outlet Mehr said the ship lost communications for 30 hours.
- The Wall Street Journal said another ship was boarded on August 24.
- Bloomberg reported that VL Prosperity is currently located off the coast of Texas.
- A spokesperson for North Carolina Ports said at the time that its IT system was “hacked by an outside actor or group” requiring them to enact a contingency plan and contact multiple state agencies as well as the U.S. Coast Guard.