Digital Thieves Target Cargo, Threatening Supply Chains

Cyber-enabled cargo theft resulted in an estimated $725 million in losses across the U. S.

and Canada in 2025, a 60% increase from the previous year. This surge is attributed to cybercriminals using hacking and impersonation tactics to target high-value freight.

Threat actors infiltrate transportation and logistics systems, primarily freight brokers and carriers, through phishing and spoofed communications. They then post fraudulent listings on online load boards and impersonate legitimate companies to divert shipments.

Confirmed cargo theft incidents rose by 18% last year, with the average value per theft increasing by 36% to $273,990. This indicates a strategic shift towards targeting higher-value loads.

Attackers compromise accounts, post fake freight listings, and accept real shipments under stolen identities. They may also alter compromised carrier registration details with regulatory bodies and update insurance records, delaying detection of the breach.

Authorities recommend verifying all shipment requests through secondary channels, implementing multi-factor authentication, and validating unexpected communications. Maintaining detailed records of vehicles and drivers is also advised to mitigate risk.