Cybercrime does not skip any sector, including logistics. That became clear once again last year when the port of Rotterdam was hit by ransomware. Dutch startup Cybersprint is therefore making its appearance in the logistics sector, starting at trade fair ICT & Logistiek. Under the slogan 'We hack you before they do', the company charts how susceptible organisations are to cybercriminals.
Pieter Jansen, once started as an ethical hacker and now ceo of Cybersprint, talks at the fair about the modus operandi of hackers and the risk companies face. That cybercrime is on the rise is a well-known fact. But that even companies that think they have their digital processes in order are at risk is not always known. "Even the best make mistakes," Jansen argues.
Sharing information with suppliers
Chinese government hackers, for instance, infiltrated the computers of a US Navy contractor this summer. A huge amount of highly sensitive data was stolen. The Navy had its digital security in place, but the contractor in this case did not. "That's something to think about as a company," Jansen explains. "How much information do you share with your suppliers?"
'Almost everyone already works in the cloud'
Defence also suffered hacking recently, as data was accidentally collected in the cloud. The sports app Strava (anonymously) tracks users' running routes and displays them on the app. As a result, the guard routes of soldiers in Afghanistan were also shown on Strava, an easy target for criminals. "Companies wonder whether they should work in the cloud, when they often already have information in the cloud."
SMEs too
The ceo wants to underline with these examples that no company is safe. In China today, many hackers are hacking supply chains, or in other words, learning trade secrets. Over the last year, cybercrime is increasingly entering the boardroom. Cinema chain Pathé experienced this when someone pretended to be the ceo by e-mail.
Shadow IT processes and the Darkweb are also on the rise. In this, SMEs are also a target. "Entrepreneurs think they are not targets of hackers because they are not the size of the port of Rotterdam. But for hackers, it is easier to steal five hundred euros ten times than to make a big haul in one go."
'We hack before they do'
Cybersprint, Jansen's company, investigates for customers how susceptible they are to cybercrime. It scans organisations' digital security and checks whether customers' data is being offered on the Darkweb. "Basically, we hack customers before anyone else can do it. This allows companies to see what their weaknesses are and what measures need to be taken."
Getting processes right
What can companies themselves do to guard against cybercrime? "There is no short answer to that," says Jansen. "It's small individual steps. For example, make sure you have your e-mail processes in order. There are handy technical tools for that. And make contractual agreements with your suppliers about data security. This creates awareness, but you can also use it as a distinguishing tool for your customers. You show that you have your processes in order."
