- Incidents increased by 18% and the value of thefts increased by 36% in 2025
- FBI warns of ‘cyber-facilitated strategic cargo thefts’
- Basic security hygiene already helps to some extent prevent attacks
The FBI has warned that cybercriminals are increasingly targeting cargo shipments with hacking and phishing tactics, and making considerable profits doing so.
With incidents increasing by 18% in 2025 and the average value per theft increasing by around 36% (to $273,990) as criminals target high-value assets, losses in the US and Canada alone reached around $725 million over the year, a significant increase of 60% year-over-year.
As for the nature of the attacks, it demonstrates the fusion of digital and physical, as attackers combine cyber and fraud techniques in what the FBI calls “cyber strategic cargo thefts.”
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Hybrid attacks
The warning reveals that attackers exploit human vulnerability to gain first access to company systems: phishing emails and fake login pages are launched to steal credentials before hackers install remote access tools to move laterally within an organization.
Once inside, they post fake shipping listings, pose as legitimate logistics companies to accept real shipments, and divert goods to criminals or complicit drivers.
But cargo theft is not the main goal of cybercriminals; For many, it is a tool used to finance other crimes such as drug trafficking or money laundering. In terms of targets within the logistics sector, shipping, freight brokerage, delivery and insurance companies are at risk.
In terms of the impacts on a victim, many do not even realize they have been attacked until their shipments disappear, with the digitalization of supply chains ultimately responsible for creating new attack surfaces.
To better protect against this growing threat, businesses are warned to verify all delivery requests to ensure emails are legitimate. Basic cybersecurity principles also apply, including protecting accounts with multi-factor authentication.
Keeping records of drivers, vehicles, and shipments is also a good idea not only for auditing purposes, but also to help the FBI track criminals in case things go wrong.
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