Suppliers can be low hanging fruit for cyber attackers
The BBC has reported that cyber hackers have attacked logistics firm Peter Green Chilled, which supplies supermarkets including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Aldi.
By Simon Duddy, Editor, Logistics Matters
LOGISTICS MATTERS understands Peter Green Chilled has been the victim of a ransomware attack.
The attack follows similar, but larger scale, assaults on Marks & Spencer and Co-op, as well as an attack on IT firm Blue Yonder last peak, which had disrupted operations for Morrisons.
So, why are logistics firms and other suppliers being targeted so readily?
ImmuniWeb CEO Dr. Ilia Kolochenko, suggests: “In 2025, we will likely observe a surge of stealth cyber-attacks against business-critical suppliers and vendors of large companies and organisations. Cybercriminals are militarily pragmatic, focusing their efforts on the fastest and most cost-efficient ways to compromise the data they need.
“The easiest way to do so is to go after vendors and suppliers that have privileged access to the “crown jewels” or that simply store the information in question. Unlike their wealthy clients, suppliers frequently do not have sufficient cybersecurity budgets or simply neglect data protection, naively believing that nobody wants to hack them.
“In reality, being a low-hanging fruit, suppliers and vendors have become the number one priority for organised cybercrime.”
Sian John, CTO at global cyber security company NCC Group, adds: “This incident is a stark reminder that the cyber threat is not confined to high-profile retailers or major brands – it lurks in the links that connect them.
“Today’s business leaders must think beyond their own firewalls. Do you know which suppliers are storing your data, for how long, and what their cyber security strategy is?”
Fighting back
A key part of the response needed is to acknowledge the scale of the threat.
We are grateful to Ross Eggleton, Group Director for Logistics, Supply Chain and Technology at Morrisons for his inspirational presentation on bouncing back from a ransomware attack at our recent Tomorrow’s Warehouse Event at Coventry’s CBS Arena on May 15.
Cyber attacks are becoming such a common threat now, a key building block of our sector’s response will be people like Ross coming out and talking about their experiences, and showing that it is possible to come back swinging and stronger than ever.
As far as I can tell (and I have been watching the ‘seminar scene’ quite keenly in recent years) Ross is the first in our sector to grasp the nettle. For the sake of us all, I hope he will not be the last and that he will inspire others to follow.
The Coventry event also saw the launch of our inaugural Warehouse Transformation Awards, which we set up up to honour achievers in our sector. We are proud that Ross Eggleton and Morrisons won The Resilience Award for their great efforts in standing up to cyber attack fallout.
