Cybercriminals Exploit RMM Tools to Orchestrate Multi-Million Dollar Cargo Thefts in the Trucking Industry
In a concerning development, cybercriminals have turned their attention to the trucking and logistics sector, executing coordinated attacks that have resulted in multi-million dollar cargo thefts. This emerging threat underscores the fusion of digital exploitation with physical crime, where cyber intrusions facilitate the theft of tangible goods such as electronics and beverages.
Sophisticated Targeting of the Supply Chain
The attackers exhibit a deep understanding of supply chain operations, adopting an opportunistic approach rather than focusing on specific companies. By intercepting communications and compromising accounts across the transportation sector, they gain unauthorized access to carrier systems. This access enables them to bid on legitimate shipments, orchestrate their interception, and subsequently resell the stolen goods through underground markets or international channels.
Infection Mechanism: Social Engineering and RMM Tools
The primary method of infection involves sophisticated social engineering tactics that exploit the trust and urgency inherent in freight industry communications. Attackers compromise load board accounts—online platforms that facilitate cargo shipment bookings—and post fraudulent listings containing malicious URLs. When carriers engage with these listings, they inadvertently execute embedded executables that grant the attackers full control over their systems.
Once inside the system, cybercriminals deploy legitimate Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tools such as ScreenConnect, SimpleHelp, PDQ Connect, and N-able. By utilizing these trusted software packages, they can bypass traditional security detection mechanisms, as these tools are often whitelisted within corporate environments. This strategy allows attackers to establish persistent access, conduct thorough system reconnaissance, and manipulate dispatcher notifications to coordinate thefts directly using the victim’s infrastructure.
Escalating Threat and Industry Impact
According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, cargo theft results in approximately $34 billion in annual losses, with projections indicating a 22 percent increase in 2025. Proofpoint researchers have documented nearly two dozen such campaigns within a two-month period, highlighting the rapid acceleration of this exploitation trend. As cybercriminals recognize the effectiveness and profitability of these cyber-enabled cargo theft operations, the trucking and logistics industry faces an escalating threat that demands immediate attention and robust countermeasures.
