The transport and logistics sector has become one of the most exposed battlegrounds in an escalating cyber war. As high-value, high pressure, time-critical operations that rely on complex digital ecosystems and real-time data to keep goods moving, transport and logistics businesses present one of the largest and most attractive attack surfaces for cybercriminals.
In an industry where disruption is measured not in hours but in missed deliveries, broken contracts and lost customer trust, a single cyber incident can immobilize fleets, paralyze supply chains and cost millions. Yet too many organizations still treat cybersecurity as a purely technical issue, rather than the core business risk it has become.
That complacency is increasingly dangerous. The NCSC reported handling a record 204 nationally significant cyber attacks against UK operations in 2025 up to September, up from 89 the previous year. Similarly, the UK is expected to face its worst year on record for ransomware attacks in 2025 with an estimated 19,000 businesses being affected. Ransomware-as-a-service has also lowered the bar, enabling young, tech-savvy criminals to launch ever more sophisticated attacks. Regrettably, transport and logistics organizations sit squarely in the crosshairs. Attackers know that operators moving essential goods are under intense pressure to restore services quickly, making them more likely to pay ransoms just to keep operations running.
Recent incidents highlight the devastating consequences. One example of the truly crippling impact of a ransomware attack for the sector was the case of KNP Logistics Group (KNP), the parent company of the 158-year-old haulage firm Knights of Old, that saw the compromise of one password lead to the loss of approximately 700 jobs. After gaining access by brute-forcing an employee’s password, ransomware gang Akira were able to infiltrate the KNP network with ease and encrypted critical data and demanded a ransom estimated at £5 million. The attack affected key systems, processes and financial information. Despite having cyber insurance and industry-standard IT systems, the company was unable to recover.
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imilarly, the breach at Jaguar Land Rover last year, assessed as the most economically damaging cyber incident in UK history at close to £2 billion by the Cyber Monitoring Centre, demonstrated how attacks on logistics-adjacent organizations can ripple across entire supply chains.
These events are warning signs. The introduction of the Cyber Security Resilience Bill shows that government recognizes the growing threat facing UK transport services and critical infrastructure. But legislation alone cannot defend organizations against increasingly sophisticated threat actors. The real question is whether transport and logistics businesses are doing enough to stay ahead of them.
The first and most important shift must be cultural. Cybersecurity can no longer sit solely within IT teams or be viewed as a compliance exercise. In transport and logistics, where continuity and customer trust are everything, cyber resilience must be elevated to a strategic business priority, owned at board level and embedded into operational decision-making. Leaders need to understand that cyber risk is operational risk – and unmanaged can stop the business entirely.
From a practical standpoint, many successful attacks still exploit basic weaknesses. Strengthening foundational cyber hygiene remains one of the most effective ways to reduce risk. This includes enforcing multi-factor authentication across all critical systems, implementing robust access controls so users only have the permissions they genuinely need for their roles, and ensuring all systems, including fleet management and warehouse tools, are patched against known vulnerabilities.
Infrastructure design also plays a critical role. Flat, highly interconnected networks allow attackers to move laterally once inside, amplifying the damage. Investing in segmented, secure infrastructure can limit the blast radius of an attack, preventing a single compromised system from taking down entire operations. For logistics organizations reliant on legacy systems and operational technology, this segregation is particularly important. Similarly, companies should deploy advanced antivirus and anti-malware solutions across all devices as well as maintain encrypted, offline backups and test recovery procedures regularly.
People, however, remain both the weakest link and the strongest defense. Phishing and social engineering continue to be the most common entry points for ransomware attacks, as the KNP incident starkly illustrated. Empowering staff at every level to recognize suspicious emails, fraudulent login prompts and unusual requests can dramatically reduce risk. This requires regular, engaging training that reflects real-world threats – not one-off tick-box exercises. Organizations should also run regular penetration tests and phishing simulations to assess and improve readiness.
Even with strong prevention measures, organizations must accept that no defense is impenetrable. What separates resilient businesses from those that fail is how they respond. Too many logistics operators still lack tested incident response plans, leaving them scrambling under pressure when an attack occurs. Clear playbooks outlining clear steps for detection, containment, communication and recovery as well as rehearsed realistic simulations, enable faster, calmer decision-making when minutes matter.
Collaboration is equally vital. Participating in intelligence-sharing networks, such as the NCSC’s Early Warning service, allow organizations to learn from attacks seen elsewhere in the sector and adapt defenses accordingly. Regular independent audits and third-party assessments provide an external perspective on vulnerabilities that internal teams may overlook, ensuring that security measures keep pace with evolving threats.
Finally, cyber insurance deserves far closer scrutiny. Many organizations assume they are covered, only to discover exclusions, inadequate limits or unclear definitions when they need support most. Transport and logistics businesses must ensure policies reflect the realities of modern cyber attacks, including business interruption, data recovery and incident response costs. And businesses also need to understand who is covered across increasingly complex supply chains as well as the limitations of policies.
Cyber attacks now have the power to derail entire supply chains, damage national infrastructure and destroy long-standing businesses overnight. For transport and logistics operators, resilience is no longer optional – it is mission-critical. By redefining cybersecurity as a strategic imperative, strengthening core defenses, empowering people and preparing for the worst, the sector can begin to weather the cyber storm – and keep the world moving, even in the face of escalating digital threats.
www.cyxcel.com
Megha Kumar is Chief Product Officer and Head of Geopolitical Risk at CyXcel. CyXcel exists to help businesses thrive, transforming their digital risks into opportunities for growth and success. In a world where digital threats evolve by the hour, success isn’t just about innovation; it’s about resilience. CyXel’s mission, “Tomorrow’s success, secured today,” reflects its commitment to empowering everyone to thrive in an ever-changing landscape.
