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These events are warning signs. The introduction of the Cyber Security Resilience Bill shows that government recognizes the growing threat facing UK transport services and critical infrastructure. But legislation alone cannot defend organizations against increasingly sophisticated threat actors. The real question is whether transport and logistics businesses are doing enough to stay ahead of them.
Strategic business priority
The first and most important shift must be cultural. Cybersecurity can no longer sit solely within IT teams or be viewed as a compliance exercise. In transport and logistics, where continuity and customer trust are everything, cyber resilience must be elevated to a strategic business priority, owned at board level and embedded into operational decision-making. Leaders need to understand that cyber risk is operational risk – and unmanaged can stop the business entirely.
From a practical standpoint, many successful attacks still exploit basic weaknesses. Strengthening foundational cyber hygiene remains one of the most effective ways to reduce risk. This includes enforcing multi-factor authentication across all critical systems, implementing robust access controls so users only have the permissions they genuinely need for their roles, and ensuring all systems, including fleet management and warehouse tools, are patched against known vulnerabilities.
Infrastructure design also plays a critical role. Flat, highly interconnected networks allow attackers to move laterally once inside, amplifying the damage. Investing in segmented, secure infrastructure can limit the blast radius of an attack, preventing a single compromised system from taking down entire operations. For logistics organizations reliant on legacy systems and operational technology, this segregation is particularly important. Similarly, companies should deploy advanced antivirus and antimalware solutions across all devices as well as maintain encrypted, offline backups and test recovery procedures regularly.
People, however, remain both the weakest link and the strongest defense. Phishing and social engineering continue to be the most common entry points for ransomware attacks, as the KNP incident starkly illustrated. Empowering staff at every level to recognize suspicious emails, fraudulent login prompts and unusual requests can dramatically reduce risk. This requires regular, engaging training that reflects real-world threats – not one-off tick-box exercises. Organizations should also run regular penetration tests and phishing simulations to assess and improve readiness.
Even with strong prevention measures, organizations must accept that no defense is impenetrable. What separates resilient businesses from those that fail is how they respond. Too many logistics operators still lack tested incident response plans, leaving them scrambling under pressure when an attack occurs. Clear playbooks outlining clear steps for detection, containment, communication and recovery as well as rehearsed realistic simulations, enable faster, calmer decisionmaking when minutes matter.
Keeping the world moving
Collaboration is equally vital. Participating in intelligence-sharing networks, such as the NCSC’ s Early Warning service, allow organizations to learn from attacks seen elsewhere in the sector and adapt defenses accordingly. Regular independent audits and third-party assessments provide an external perspective on vulnerabilities that internal teams may overlook, ensuring that security measures keep pace with evolving threats. Finally, cyber insurance deserves far closer scrutiny. Many organizations assume they are covered, only to discover exclusions, inadequate limits or unclear definitions when
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