North Carolina Ports Hit by Cyberattack, Forcing Manual Operations

Cyberattack Disrupts Port Operations

North Carolina Ports confirmed a cyberattack that disrupted its IT systems, leading to a shift to manual operations. The incident affected all three of its locations: the Port of Wilmington, the Port of Morehead City, and the Charlotte Inland Port. The attack was detected on August 4, prompting the activation of the port authority's cybersecurity contingency plan.

Impact on Logistics and Cargo

The cyberattack caused system-wide outages and delays for port operations and truckers. While the facilities are following a normal operating schedule, operations are still being processed manually. North Carolina Ports handles over 4 million tons of cargo annually, with Wilmington and Morehead together managing 4.4 million short tons of bulk/breakbulk cargo yearly. The Port of Wilmington alone has a 600,000 TEU annual container capacity and handles an average of 5,000 container gate moves per week.

Response and Recovery Efforts

The breach has been contained, and the port authority is in the recovery process. An outside forensics team is collaborating with the IT department to assess and restore affected systems. Multiple state agencies and the U.S. Coast Guard were contacted and are involved in the investigation. The authority did not specify if the attack was ransomware or if sensitive data was stolen.

Ongoing Vulnerability of Critical Infrastructure

This incident underscores the vulnerability of critical infrastructure to cyber threats. Ports globally have been frequent targets of such attacks. The North Carolina Ports Authority did not attribute the attack to a known threat actor.