Ransomware Attack on Marten Transport

Marten Transport, a subsidiary of Martin Midstream Partners L.P., has confirmed a cyberattack that accessed and encrypted files on their servers, potentially putting employee data at risk. The company, which operates a fleet of tank trucks providing transportation of petroleum products, LP gas, molten sulfur, paper mill liquids, chemicals, and other bulk liquid commodities, has 23 terminals in the Southeast and over 700 trucks and over 1,200 trailers.

The attack, which occurred in October 2021, did not have a material impact on the company's business, operations, or financial results, but it did indicate that some employee data may have been compromised. Marten Transport launched an investigation, engaged legal counsel, and industry-leading incident response professionals, and notified law enforcement.

The company implemented containment and remediation measures to address the situation and restore full functionality to its information technology systems quickly with minimal disruptions to its operations. Despite these efforts, the attack serves as a reminder of the growing threat of ransomware attacks in the transportation sector, which has become the most significant cyber threat facing the sector in the European Union.

Ransomware Attacks in the Transportation Sector

Ransomware attacks typically target both IT and operational technology (OT) systems, with the latter potentially causing more significant effects due to their role in monitoring or directing mechanical processes. The transport sector is particularly vulnerable to these attacks, as digital transformation integrates historically compartmentalized IT and OT systems.

To mitigate the risk of ransomware attacks, organizations should implement strong and unique passwords, multi-factor authentication, secure email practices, periodic data backup and restoration processes, and adopt zero-trust network access.

Sources

• Martin Transport, Inc. (n.d.). About Martin Transport. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://martintransport.com
• CCJ Digital. (October 28, 2021). Marten Transport confirms it was victim of cyberattack. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://www.ccjdigital.com/technology/article/15280678/marten-transport-confirms-it-was-hacked
• The Record. (March 21, 2023). Ransomware ‘likely’ to target transportation OT systems, warns EU cyber agency. Retrieved April 10, 2024, from https://therecord.media/transportation-ransomware-european-union-enisa-report