Cyberattack Slows Operations at North Carolina’s Three Ports
North Carolina Ports, the authority managing the state’s two deepwater ports and a large inland facility, confirmed that it has been the subject of a cyberattack. While it reports that the attack has been contained, it was warning that operations and truckers at its gates should expect delays on August 5.
The authority confirmed to the local media that it had detected a cyberattack on Tuesday, August 4. On its website, it posted a message reading, “Due to a systems-wide outage, gates at the Port of Wilmington, the Port of Morehead City, and the Charlotte Inland Port will open at 8 am on Wednesday, August 5. Delays can be expected, and we appreciate your patience.”
The ports are key regional resources in the southeast. Last year, the Ports of Wilmington and Morehead City moved a total of 4.4 million short tons of bulk and breakbulk cargo, with the authority reporting it is determined to be the default gateway for bulk materials serving North Carolina, including agriculture, forestry products, and building materials.
The Port of Wilmington typically has more than 5,000 container gate moves weekly and has a capacity to handle 600,000 TEU annually, with a large volume of reefer traffic supporting the agricultural industry.
The authority told local media that late yesterday, the North Carolina Ports IT system was hacked by an outside actor or group. It reported that its IT team immediately enacted its Cybersecurity Contingency Plan, and it said as of Wednesday morning, the breach has been contained, and that it is now in the recovery process. It's unclear, WCNC news reports, if any sensitive data was compromised during the breach.
The authority said it has also engaged relevant partners, including the North Carolina Department of Transportation, the North Carolina Department of Information Technology, and the U.S. Coast Guard.
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The U.S. Coast Guard has issued a series of bulletins regarding the dangers of cyberattacks and focused on assertions of dangers from Chinese-manufactured cargo cranes. It has also increased the requirements for testing and planning at all ports in the United States.
The incident comes days after the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued warnings that malicious cyber actors were conducting cyber attacks targeting infrastructure, including water and wastewater systems. The Trump administration was quick to dismiss rumors that it was linked to Iran, but the FBI reported that water and wastewater sector utility companies in at least seven states have reported incidents to the FBI, and some of that activity degraded water operations. News reports said this week the attacks against water utilities had spread to at least 12 states.
