Shipping Giant Expeditors Forced To Shut Down Operations After Cyber Attack
Ailan Evans on February 23, 2022
Shipping and logistics giant Expeditors was hit by a cyber attack over the weekend, forcing the company to shut down its operations.
Expeditors announced the attack in a press release Sunday, saying that it was investigating the incident and that it had to suspend normal operations globally.
“While our systems are shut down we will have limited ability to conduct operations, including but not limited to arranging for shipments of freight or managing customs and distribution activities for our customers’ shipments,” the company said.
It’s unclear who perpetrated the attack or what systems were compromised; the company did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for further comment. Expeditors oversees shipping operations across various modes of transportation and employs roughly 18,000 people, according to The Wall Street Journal.
The company then issued an earnings report Tuesday providing an update on the progress it has made in restoring functionality and resuming operations.
“Upon discovering the incident, we shut down most of our operating systems globally to manage the safety of our overall global systems environment,” the company said. “The situation is evolving, and we are working with global cybersecurity experts to manage the situation.”
Expeditors also warned investors that the ongoing shutdown could damage its bottom line.
“Depending on the length of the shutdown of our operations, the impact of this cyberattack could have a material adverse impact on our business, revenues, results of operations and reputation,” the company said.
The incident is the last in a string of cyber attacks on critical infrastructure and supply chain industries. Microsoft issued a report in October warning that Russian hackers responsible for the SolarWinds hack are targeting shipping and logistics companies in an effort to disrupt the supply chain.
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