Nagoya Port

History

2023: Shutdown due to ransomware virus attack

On July 5, 2023, the administration of Japan's largest cargo port, located in Nagoya, reported a hacker invasion. As a result of the ransomware virus attack, computer systems were paralyzed.

It is known that the cybercriminal group LockBit is behind the attack. The introduction of this ransomware provoked large-scale failures in the IT infrastructure of the port, which in 2022 transported 2.68 million shipping containers and 164 million tons of cargo. It is noted that the attack led to the inability to ship containers. The computer systems responsible for the operation of the terminals failed. Specialists in the field of information security on an emergency basis have begun restoration work.

Work of Japan's largest port paralyzed due to ransomware virus attack

It is said that due to the invasion, some of the operations of the port employees had to be performed manually. Toyota Corporation told Japanese media that it could not unload auto parts due to a cyber attack, but its production of cars was not stopped. An accumulation of cargo trailers was observed at the port. The incident affected a computer system used to operate the port's five cargo terminals.

The amount of the ransom requested by the attackers is not reported. Hackers, as noted, remotely sent a message to the printer demanding money in exchange for restoring systems. According to the Kyodo agency, the port administration did not negotiate with cybercriminals, and the funds were not transferred to them. The management of the organization is silent about whether confidential data was stolen.

LockBit accounted for one in six ransomware attacks by early 2023, according to the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Protection Agency and the FBI. This group is one of the most active ransomware teams in the world.^[1]

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