U.S. officials are continuing their investigation into cyber attacks on at least one of two tankers that were heading towards the United States last month. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the U.S. Coast Guard have confirmed that the crews of these tankers have reported incidents and stated that there is no immediate danger to the crew or the environment.
Suspected to be Iran
Although the Coast Guard has not provided further details, attention has quickly turned to Iran. Iranian media have reported on these incidents since early August. The Tasnim News Agency, which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, published a report on August 20 stating that the VL Prosperity tanker (IMO 9683697) "was the target of a major cyber attack in the Strait of Gibraltar, and all its communications were cut off for 30 hours."
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Details of the Attack
Tasnim claimed to have received information from a crew member of this Liberian tanker indicating that "the attackers infiltrated the engine room systems, reduced the engine cooling flow, increased the engine speed, and disabled the fuel and oil tanks." Similar reports have also been published by other Iranian media, including Mehr News Agency. Tasnim continued the topic with a headline stating, "No other American ship is safe: Will artillery replace codes?"
This tanker, carrying 319,547 tons, was managed by HMM Ocean Services and was heading to Galveston, Texas. Reports indicate that this tanker encountered problems while passing through the Strait of Gibraltar. Additionally, reports suggest that a second LNG-carrying vessel, whose name has not yet been disclosed, also alerted authorities about the potential cyber attack.
A special team of Coast Guard personnel, ship inspectors, and members of the Coast Guard cyber protection team, along with the FBI cyber action team, boarded an unidentified vessel upon its arrival in Texas. Reports indicate that the first inspection took place on August 21, followed by another inspection a few days later on August 24. AIS signals show that the VL Prosperity is still anchored near Galveston.
Classification societies and security analysts have long warned about the potential for cyber attacks, as ships have increasingly connected to cyber systems. GPS spoofing and disruption have been cited as one of the key risks, with at least one tanker in the Red Sea attributed to disruptions that led to it running aground. Analysts have also warned about the dangers of malware and ransomware.
The International Maritime Organization issued the first maritime cyber risk management guidelines in June 2017 within safety management systems, addressing issues related to operations, safety, or security arising from corruption, loss, or damage to information or systems.
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