FBI and Coast Guard Investigate Hacked Oil Tankers Near U.S. Coast
The FBI and the U.S. Coast Guard boarded two oil tankers bound for the United States in late August after reports that hackers had compromised at least one vessel’s systems, including navigation, propulsion, and cargo controls. The agencies conducted inspections between August 21 and August 24 to assess potential damage or threats following indications of network breaches on both ships. One of the vessels involved is identified as the VL Prosperity, a large oil tanker that was reportedly hacked while en route from Egypt to the U.S., causing disruptions in speed, fuel systems, and communications for over a day. The incident highlights growing concerns about cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure such as shipping fleets and global logistics networks. While no physical harm or environmental damage occurred during this event, it underscores how vulnerable maritime operations can be to sophisticated attacks. The U.S. is investigating whether Iran was behind the hack, given recent tensions involving Iranian-backed cyberattacks on American targets like Stryker and Los Angeles’ transit system. Cybersecurity officials have described these incidents as “opportunistic,” likely motivated by geopolitical retaliation following military actions against Iran.
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Topics: cybersecurity FBI oil tankers shipping industry U.S. Coast Guard