DP World Australia, a leading logistics company in Australia, is restarting operations at several key ports that were previously closed due to a cyberattack. The responsible party has not been identified by authorities.
DP World Australia reported that it had become aware of a cyberattack on its computer network last Friday, resulting in the shutdown of multiple terminals. The port operator, which is the second largest in Australia, took immediate action and shut down its systems in response to the malicious activity.
The transportation company manages approximately 40% of the total goods entering and exiting Australia. The ports in Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, and Fremantle in Western Australia have been impacted, resulting in cargo and containers being stuck at the docks.
On November 13, 2023, at Port Botany in Sydney, there were gantry cranes bearing the logos of DP World, the ports operator.
The exact details of the breach have not been disclosed, but specialists believe that the hackers may have requested a ransom. Officials state that identifying the culprit will require some time.
The National Cyber Security coordinator in Australia predicts that the import and export of goods will face interruptions for several days. Officials have announced that the crisis management plan, previously used during the COVID-19 outbreak, has been put into action due to the security breach.
On Monday, Clare O’Neil, the minister for home affairs and cyber security, informed local media that steps are being taken to ensure the company’s computer network can be safely reactivated.
According to O’Neil, DP World has been collaborating with the government to find a solution that will minimize the impact of this issue on Australians. This situation highlights the susceptibility of our country to cyber attacks.
In the previous year, there were two major data breaches in Australia that affected prominent healthcare and telecommunications companies.
In November 2022, a study revealed that 33% of adults in Australia had experienced data breaches within the last year. The research, conducted by the Australian National University, highlighted the rapid increase of cyberattacks as a prevalent form of crime in the country.
The Australian Taxation Office has stated that it experiences 3 million hacking attempts on a monthly basis.
The Australian Banking Association has stated that cybercrime poses a major threat to national security.
In April 2023, the Australian government collaborated with leading banks and financial institutions in Canberra to conduct ‘wargaming’ simulations in order to evaluate their ability to handle cyberattacks.
Source: voanews.com
