Jason Cannon
A recent study conducted by data collection experts SOAX, utilizing data from the Identity Theft Resource Center on the number of data violation cases from 2020 to 2023 by industry, revealed the United States experienced a total of 3,205 data breaches in 2023, a 78% increase from 2022.
The transportation industry saw 101 data violation cases last year. The number of cases is up more than 181% from the year before and the 101 incidents logged last year matches the total number of cases from 2020, 2021 and 2022 combined. In all the segments ranked by SOAX, no other industry saw a year-over-year increase larger than transportation, with only the financial services sector coming close (177%).
Trellix
“While the study highlights a significant increase in cyberattacks across all sectors, the particularly steep rise in the transportation sector underscores the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures,” Stepan Solovev, CEO and Co-founder of SOAX told CCJ. “Cyberattacks affecting public services such as transportation could majorly affect the day to day lives of average Americans, as shown by the staggering 12 million victims who were impacted by cyberattacks within the transportation sector in 2023.”
Troubling news for trucking’s transition to battery electric trucking is that, despite ranking fourteenth with just 44 data breach incidents, the utilities industry had the highest number of victims in 2023, according to SOAX. A staggering 73 million individuals were affected by data breaches within this sector, highlighting its vulnerability and making it the most at risk for aggressive cyberattacks targeting people.
“The study has identified a concerning sharp rise in cyber incidents across all US industries in 2023, which is particularly alarming,” said Solovev. “The increase in attacks demonstrates that cybercriminals pose an increasing threat. Industries must adapt and evolve with these technological advancements to ensure they are protected from cyberattacks.”
The transportation and shipping sectors generated 53% and 45% of global ransomware detections, according to data from cybersecurity company Trellix.
“The last six months have been unprecedented – a state of polycrisis remains and everything from elections to warfare to law enforcement activity have accelerated cyber threat actor activity globally. We’re seeing radical shifts in behavior,” said John Fokker, Head of Threat Intelligence at Trellix. “The cat and mouse game of cybersecurity is becoming more complex. Security leaders need more operational threat intelligence in order to outpace cybercriminals.”
