Ransomware attack hits Japan's biggest port, delaying cargo

NAGOYA, Jul 06 (themalaysianreserve.com) - Japan's biggest maritime port was crippled by an alleged Russian cyberattack, disrupting cargo as operators rushed to prevent a wider delay in shipments.

Ransomware - used by hackers to lock access to files or systems unless a payment is made - caused a container terminal at the Port of Nagoya in Aichi Prefecture to suffer an outage Tuesday morning, the Nagoya Harbor Transportation Authority said Wednesday. The authority said operations are expected to resume Thursday at 8:30 a.m. local time.

As more Asian ports automate and move away from paper documentation, hackers pose a growing problem to the region's shipping networks. Cyber criminals have been targeting European ports in recent years, with pro-Russia groups claiming responsibility for an attack on one of the continent’s biggest ports just last month.

The Nagoya port authority said Russia-based ransomware group Lockbit 3.0 was responsible for the hack, Kyodo News reported Wednesday. Ransomware attackers tend to target vulnerabilities in VPNs and remote desktop protocols, said Mihoko Matsubara, NTT Corp.'s chief cybersecurity strategist. She said such breaches account for 80% of ransomware attacks in Japan. ...continue reading