Voices from the frontline
“There’s a wave of criminal cyber attacks… companies need to improve their cybersecurity,” says Richard Horne, CEO of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The National Crime Agency’s James Babbage calls ransomware “a national security threat… in its own right,” while Suzanne Grimmer warns incidents have almost doubled in two years.
Former KNP Director Paul Abbott now urges businesses to adopt a “cyber MOT”, proof of up to date protection and resilience. There are three scenarios FORS operators should plan and insure for:
1) Credential compromise, fleet systems offline
A single reused or guessed password unlocks remote access; ransomware encrypts TMS and depot servers. Without tested, offline (“air‑gapped”) backups, restoration stalls and the interruption clock starts. Insure for data restoration, incident response, ransom (subject to policy stance), and extended business interruption.
2) Supplier breach, knock‑on downtime
A software or logistics partner is compromised, taking out booking, routing or ePOD workflows. Check your policy’s contingent business interruption and dependency limits and ensure obligations on minimum controls flow down your contracts. (KNP’s collapse illustrates how supply‑side fragility amplifies harm.)
3) Backups may fail when you need them most
Backups that replicate infected data or sit online are quickly rendered useless. Insurers and responders stress the need for offline, malware‑scanned backups and regular restore drills, because without them, even a paid ransom may not deliver a clean rebuild.