Logistics “particularly attractive” for hackers – MTC 2026

Speaking at the 2026 Microlise Transport Conference (MTC), Jonny Pelter (pictured), founding partner at CyPro, has warned that the transport and logistics sector is a “particularly attractive domain” for hackers.

Pelter cited the industry’s low tolerance to downtime, the physical consequences of attacks, the large digital interconnectivity in sector and the presence of lots of legacy infrastructure due to mergers and acquisitions, as the main reasons for its vulnerability.

He warned that companies are no longer being targeted by individual hackers, and that hacking groups are now organised enterprises.

The reasons for this include the rise of cryptocurrency, which enabled ransom payments to become seamless, a lower barrier to entry due to attack tactics being more available and improved international law enforcement, which has made criminals more discerning.

Likelihood of payment is the top factor for groups in deciding on targets. Cyber groups are now willing to go for more difficult targets if they are likely to pay.

Pelter said: “Paying ransoms is becoming regulated in some spaces, but it is still a grey area.

“If you pay you may end up on a ‘sucker list’. You are six or seven times more likely to be attacked again if you’ve paid historically.”

87% of attacks happen on a weekend or a holiday, which Pelter said is not a coincidence.