Orbcomm, a company specializing in solutions to manage fleets and monitoring cargo transportation, has confirmed that recent failures in their service have been caused by a cyber attack. The company’s Fleetmanager platform and the BT product were temporarily affected, causing difficulties for many freight companies in managing their operations.
Since September 6, orbcomm began reporting issues with monitoring truck movements and using electronic accounting devices called Blue Tree Eld. As a result of the attack, truck drivers had to switch to using paper magazines.
Michelle Ferris, Vice President of Orbcomm corporate communications, informed all clients and partners about the incident, stating that on September 6, 2023, Orbcomm experienced an attack that impacted their Fleetmanager platform and the BT product. However, Ferris assured that all other systems and operations of the company are fully functional.
In response to the attack, the Federal Security Department of the US Automobile Transportation (FMCSA) has issued a temporary permit allowing the use of paper journals until the service is fully restored, but no later than September 29, when Orbcomm plans to complete the restoration of its systems.
According to FMCSA, drivers using Blue Tree Eld devices can continue to record their work hours on paper schedules or in an accounting program until Orbcomm notifies FMCSA about the restoration of the faulty devices.
The attack has reportedly affected some of the largest cargo transportation companies in the United States, causing difficulties in tracking their fleets and inventory.
As of now, the group behind the cyber attack remains unknown. Due to the confidential nature of the investigation, Orbcomm has not shared any additional information.