If you work in logistics, you already know how quickly everything changes. Artificial intelligence, digitalization, and automation are transforming how goods move globally. But as technology streamlines operations, it opens the door to new risks.
And those supply chain risks are growing fast.
According to the Commercial Carrier Journal, Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) detections targeting the U.S. surged 136% in Q1 2025 compared to the previous quarter. Many of those attacks hit transportation, shipping, and supply chain infrastructure where it hurts most.
Every endpoint, from your WMS to a single IoT sensor, becomes a potential entry point. A phishing email or infected software update can ripple across your network and partners, leading to operational chaos, financial losses, or stalled freight during peak demand.
You don’t just have to worry about one cyber incident. You have to be ready for them all: ransomware, insider threats, GPS spoofing, and data leaks that disrupt not just your systems, but your customers’ supply chains.
This guide gives you the clarity to take action. You’ll learn to reduce vulnerabilities, protect sensitive information, and use the right cybersecurity tools to minimize supply chain disruptions. And if you’re looking for hands-on help, Keystone specializes in cybersecurity for logistics companies like yours.
Here’s what matters and why it deserves your attention.
Key takeaways
- Every connected device in your supply chain is a door. Tools like driver tablets and smart locks become entry points for costly attacks without strict access controls, encryption, and patch management.
- Third-party risk is your blind spot. A single weak link in your partner ecosystem can let attackers bypass your controls and compromise your entire network.
- Legacy systems won’t protect modern operations. Aging WMS or TMS platforms lack basic security features, making segmentation and threat monitoring essential to minimize exposure.
- Security can’t slow down logistics. Implementing lightweight, role-based controls and zero trust frameworks keeps freight moving while reducing risk.
- Cyber resilience earns customer trust. Documented protocols, SIEM tools, and rapid response planning help prevent disruptions and strengthen your position with shippers, insurers, and regulators.
Why logistics is a high-risk target
The interconnected supply chain
Freight no longer travels point-to-point; it flows through a web of suppliers, manufacturers, 3PLs, carriers, warehouses, and customers. Data from your TMS, WMS, GPS beacons, mobile scanners, and IoT devices moves just as freely, often across public networks. Each integration, EDI, REST, or MQTT, creates fresh endpoints that attackers can probe.
Increased attack surface
Every connected widget, from driver tablets to yard-management kiosks, is a potential foothold. Gartner estimates the average mid-size carrier now manages more than 1,200 active endpoints, up nearly 40 % from 2022. Pair that with always-on connectivity; a single phishing email can cascade through multiple partners in minutes.
Potential impact of cyberattacks
Cyberattacks hit your entire operation. From delays and data leaks to lost revenue and safety risks, a single breach can cascade across your supply chain in minutes.
- Disruption of operations (route planning, docking, customs clearance)
- Data breaches exposing manifests, pricing, and sensitive information
- Financial losses through stalled shipments, chargebacks, and ransomware payments
- Reputational damage that erodes customer trust
- Safety risks when tampering with ELD or GPS spoofing misguide drivers
Common cyber threats to logistics
Here are some of the most common cybersecurity threats facing logistics operations and how they can disrupt your business:
- Ransomware attacks: These attacks lock up your systems, strand shipments, and cause you to miss compliance deadlines.
- Phishing & business email compromise: Attackers send fake emails posing as vendors to trick your team into wiring money to fraudulent accounts.
- Supply chain attacks: A compromised software update from a trusted partner spreads malware across your network or multiple depot locations.
- Insider threats: A disgruntled or careless employee may leak sensitive data to unauthorized parties, such as freight schedules or customer information.
- Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS): A flood of malicious traffic overwhelms your systems, often during your busiest seasons, knocking offline rate-shopping tools or customer portals.
- GPS spoofing: Hackers can fake GPS data, sending drivers the wrong way and putting shipments at risk of theft or delivery failures.
Dark-web monitoring backs up these risks: 64% of stealer logs now target Transportation and Warehousing, the highest share of any industry.
Key cybersecurity challenges in the logistics industry
Legacy systems
Older AS/400 or green-screen software still runs yard gates and pick-lists. Limited vendor patches leave unencrypted protocols and weak authentication in place long after support ends.
Lack of standardization
Every partner may follow a different security baseline. Without sector-wide standards, you inherit the lowest bar in the chain.
Third-party risks
Cargo booking, last-mile couriers, and customs brokers plug into your core network daily. If even one has sloppy controls, threat actors can pivot into your environment, which is exactly how the infamous SolarWinds-style supply-chain attack exposed many logistics businesses.
IoT and connected devices
Temperature sensors, smart locks, and telematics units deliver real-time insights, yet often ship with default passwords or no patch mechanism. Attackers can intercept that unprotected data in motion.
Real-time visibility requirements
Shippers demand minute-by-minute location pings. Balancing openness with security calls for token-based APIs and granular access controls, or you risk exposing an entire run sheet with a single credential leak.
Human error
With busy schedules and constant pressure, drivers and dispatchers may accidentally click phishing links if not properly trained.
Logistics cybersecurity best practices
Develop a cybersecurity plan
Document responsibilities, acceptable-use rules, incident-response playbooks, and vendor security clauses. Align the plan with frameworks such as NIST CSF and review it at least annually.
Implement strong access controls
Follow the least privilege. Use role-based permissions within your WMS or TMS, enforce MFA for every remote login, and rotate credentials after employee turnover.
Secure networks and systems
Segment operational technology (fleet telematics, PLCs) from corporate IT. Deploy well-tuned firewalls and intrusion-prevention systems, then patch OS and firmware on a defined cadence.
Protect data
Encrypt sensitive data in transit with TLS 1.3 and at rest with AES-256. Deploy Data Loss Prevention to block unauthorized uploads of bills of lading or customs documents.
Conduct regular risk assessments
Score each asset by likelihood and business impact, then prioritize mitigation. Tools such as CVSS calculators streamline that analysis.
Technology solutions for cybersecurity in logistics
Security Information and Event Management (SIEM)
A SIEM aggregates logs from endpoints, IoT devices, and cloud workloads. Correlated alerts cut the mean-time-to-detect, so you can isolate a ransomware worm before it locks every WMS workstation.
Threat intelligence
Subscribe to sector-specific feeds that flag emerging tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) against the logistics sector. That information helps you fix weak points before they’re exploited.
Incident response plan
Map clear roles, such as who isolates servers, contacts insurers, and updates customers. Run quarterly tabletop exercises so that teams can respond quickly.
Security audits and penetration testing
Independent testers uncover misconfigurations before cybercriminals do. Pair quarterly vulnerability scans with annual red-team exercises for deeper insights.
Zero trust security
Assume every connection is hostile until verified. Micro-segmentation checks each device and user before allowing access, reducing internal threats.
Below are key cybersecurity solutions and how each one helps protect your logistics operations:
- Firewalls and Intrusion Prevention Systems (IPS):
Block malicious internet traffic, protect your warehouse Wi-Fi, and secure cloud-system connections.
- Endpoint Security:
Use antivirus tools and USB restrictions to shield laptops, tablets in forklifts, and IoT devices from ransomware and other malware.
- Data Loss Prevention (DLP):
Prevents the unauthorized sending or sharing of sensitive data, such as customer records or driver information.
- Identity & Access Management (IAM):
Ensures only the right people access the right systems (like your TMS or WMS), with secure logins and automatic permissions.
- Security Information & Event Management (SIEM):
Watches your entire network for unusual behavior and alerts you quickly when there’s a potential breach.
- Blockchain Technology:
Creates a secure, unchangeable record of deliveries and parts, helping you prevent document tampering or fraud.
How Keystone helps logistics companies stay secure
You don’t have time to chase cyber threats while managing delivery windows, carrier performance, and cross-border compliance. That’s where Keystone comes in. We specialize in cybersecurity solutions tailored to the logistics industry, so you can stay focused on moving freight, not fighting hackers.
Built for logistics
From reefer telematics to warehouse automation, we understand the unique risks associated with modern logistics operations. Our cybersecurity team builds solutions around your specific environment, whether you run 3PL hubs, cross-docks, or a global supply chain.
What we deliver
- Risk assessments that uncover vulnerabilities before attackers do
- Vulnerability management that prioritizes critical patches and minimizes downtime
- Security awareness training designed for field teams, drivers, and dispatchers
- Incident response planning with clear roles and fast execution when every second counts
- 24/7 managed security services using SIEM tools optimized for logistics networks
- Compliance support to help you meet CTPAT, TSA, and data privacy standards
Why it matters
Effective cybersecurity helps you stop attacks before they derail delivery schedules or expose sensitive customer data. Documenting your security protocols strengthens your position with cyber insurance providers.
With full visibility into connected devices and systems, you can prevent costly disruptions and keep your logistics operations running without interruption.
Let’s secure your supply chain, together
Cybersecurity isn’t optional anymore. It’s a core part of keeping your operations running, customers happy, and revenue protected. Keystone can help you manage cybersecurity without adding to your workload.
Want help assessing your current cybersecurity posture? Reach out to Keystone. We specialize in helping logistics companies secure every mile of the supply chain.
