Cybersecurity: 5 tips to protect your trucking business

May 21, 2025

It’s always the other guy, until it’s you. And if you’re involved in a cyberattack—where your company is held hostage—then you’ll know all too well the pain both in time and money that it can create. “I should have done this, or done that,” will be your counsel to other fleets.

Unfortunate as it is, the trucking industry has a bullseye on its chest. Transportation consistently ranks in the top five industries most susceptible to cyberattacks, and small trucking companies are especially vulnerable. With fewer protections in place, they’re more likely to pay ransoms to recover systems—and hackers know it. In many cases, attackers have been “in” your system for weeks, watching, learning, and calculating exactly how much you can afford to pay.

According to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), 2023 marked a record-breaking year with 3,205 publicly reported data compromises in the United States, a 72% increase over the previous high in 2021. While the number of victims affected decreased by 16% to approximately 353 million, this shift indicates that cybercriminals are focusing on more targeted attacks rather than mass breaches. Notably, the transportation industry experienced more than double the number of compromises compared to 2022.

Some cyberattacks are quick hits. Others are long-term campaigns, often orchestrated by criminal groups—or even state-sponsored actors from countries like Russia or China—designed to stay hidden and extract sensitive information over time.

In early 2025, the transportation and shipping industries reported a surge in detected cyberthreats, ranking just behind telecommunications. And when third-party vendors are involved, that creates additional risk. A single attack can force fleets back to manual processes, slow deliveries, and disrupt interconnected parts of the supply chain.

In terms of financial impact, the average cost of a data breach in the transportation sector is now approximately $4.88 million, according to a recent IBM-sponsored study. These attacks are becoming easier to launch: with Ransomware-as-a-Service (RaaS), cybercriminals can buy pre-built ransomware kits online—meaning even attackers with minimal expertise can lock down your systems and demand payment.

That’s why cybersecurity matters now more than ever. Threats continue to evolve—from fake QR codes to phishing texts and impersonation scams. Criminals are exploiting every possible weakness, and your best defense is staying ahead of them.

The best protection? Training your entire team to spot threats early and act fast. That includes dispatch, accounting—and drivers. Here’s what you can do to safeguard your company:

1. Guard your treasure

Hackers can gain access both remotely and in person. To stop them, you need to protect both your physical workspace and your digital systems.

• Prevent remote access. Use firewalls, anti-malware programs, and VPNs across all your devices. Establish a virtual private network to secure your Internet connection. Make sure network folders have appropriate security settings.
• Don’t underestimate the power of the password. Create strong, unique passwords or passphrases for each account and device, and store them using a trusted password manager. Enable two-factor authentication whenever possible.
• Protect your data at all stages. Back it up regularly and securely destroy outdated files when no longer needed.
• Lock up your office! Store document hard copies in locked cabinets, require appropriate identification for restricted areas, and always—always—set devices to auto-lock after inactivity.
• Classify data by sensitivity. Label files like payroll records and employee ID numbers as “highly confidential.” Freight details, route plans, and driver test results are “sensitive,” while shift schedules and internal communications are typically “internal-use” only. Each label should be handled with security practices to match.

Example scenario:

A USB stick labeled “Bonus Pay Info” was found in the Flashfrate Transportation driver lounge. One employee plugged it into a work terminal—and unknowingly installed malware that logged keystrokes across the network. It took days to detect, and longer to clean up.

2. Think before you click

Cybercriminals count on people acting before thinking—especially when emotions are running high. Whether it’s curiosity, fear, or urgency, they want you to click fast and question later. Even with software protections in place, it only takes one weak link—one password in the wrong hands—to wreak havoc. And because everything is connected, every employee has a role to play in keeping company data secure.

• Beware what you click. Hackers manipulate people into clicking malicious links or downloading infected attachments that can damage, destroy, or steal your data.
• Urgency is a red flag. Scammers use fear and greed to pressure you into sharing sensitive info—like claiming your account will be shut down in 24 hours or offering a fake prize.
• Scan before you click. Before clicking a link or responding to an email with personal information, check the sender’s address to see if it is legitimate. Hover your cursor over any hyperlinks to reveal the full URL. If it looks suspicious, it probably is. Watch for things like misspellings or additional words.
• Double-check before sending. Before hitting “send,” confirm the recipient’s email address, especially when replying and make sure not to use fake or spoofed addressed. And NEVER send credit card details over email.
• Watch out for micro-scamming. Small fraudulent charges—often under $10— are used to test your attention and probe your systems. If you catch one, report it. It may be the start of a bigger attack.

Example scenario:

A driver received what looked like a customer email about a revised delivery address. The link led to a login page mimicking the fleet’s internal portal. He entered his credentials—and unknowingly handed over access to a hacker, who used it to reroute shipments and access payroll data.

3. Risk sounding rude

Social engineering works because people are polite. Hackers exploit that—posing as coworkers, contractors, or executives to slip past your defenses. These aren’t brute-force attacks; they’re psychological tricks designed to make you hesitate before asking questions. That moment of hesitation is all it takes.

• Don’t assume the uniform is real. Hackers often impersonate others—posing as employees, contractors, or external service providers—to gain access to information or restricted areas.
• Politeness can be a vulnerability. People are often too nice to ask for identification or don’t want to risk sounding rude or foolish by doubting the authenticity of a visitor’s request. Usually, the imposter will have gathered enough information to make their visit or request sound legitimate.
• Follow the protocol—even if it feels awkward. Abide by your company’s visitor policy by politely asking anyone unfamiliar for their identification. Escort unauthorized visitors to the front desk and verify unusual requests with a supervisor.
• Verify messages from the top. Criminals often impersonate CEOs and other high-level executives by hacking into their business email accounts, which they use to send requests to employees to obtain sensitive information, like customer billing information. If you doubt the legitimacy of a message, always contact the sender using a separate means of communication. Even if the request is genuine, your caution will be welcomed.
• Watch for tailgaters. Even physical breaches happen more often than you'd expect. Tailgating—when someone slips into a restricted area behind an authorized person—is a common way cybercriminals access unsecured computers or steal credentials in person.

Example scenario:

Sam, a driver for Flashfrate Transportation, gets an email that appears to come from the company’s CEO. The subject line says “URGENT: Account Issue – Action Required.” The message asks Sam to reply with his fuel card number so the finance team can fix a billing error.

At first glance, it looks legit—the CEO’s name is right there. But Sam pauses. It’s unusual for the CEO to email him directly, especially about payment details. He takes a closer look and spots a small misspelling in the sender’s email address: instead of @flashfrate.com, it says @flashfrat.com.

Instead of replying, Sam reports it to the safety manager. Sure enough, it was a phishing attempt. By trusting his instincts and double-checking the source, Sam prevented a potential breach—and protected company funds.

4. Sharing is not caring

Hackers don’t need to steal your data—they can often collect it from what you share online. Every time you post, comment, or use an app, you leave behind a digital trail. That trail can be used to guess passwords, impersonate your identity, or gain access to company systems. Even casual posts can reveal more than you think.

• Think before you post. Your social media accounts can be a gold mine of useful information for hackers. Be cautious about what you share, check your privacy settings, and never post personal or corporate info. Remember to check the background of photos for revealing details.
• Turn off location tracking. Check your app permissions and disable location services on your devices and social media accounts. For drivers especially, this prevents criminals from tracking real-time movements of drivers and their freight.
• Protect your inbox. Be selective when giving out your email address and only share it out with trusted sources. Otherwise, it can become a target for spam, phishing, and other malicious email.
• Don’t trust public Wi-Fi. Open networks are easy targets for cybercriminals. Hackers can easily “eavesdrop” on open networks and gain access to information you share over the network. Avoid logging in to any personal accounts over unsecured Wi-Fi unless you’re using a VPN.

Example scenario:

At Flashfrate Transportation, a fleet manager named Sonia posted a photo of her workspace to celebrate a team milestone. But that photo included a sticky note with part of a login password in the background. It was just enough for a hacker to combine with other details and breach her system weeks later.

5. Keep it up to date

Most cyberattacks don’t require cutting-edge tactics—they exploit known vulnerabilities that haven’t been patched. That’s why staying current with updates and systems isn’t just smart—it’s essential.

• Install updates promptly. Software companies put out updates or security patches because they have identified a vulnerability in their system. By postponing updates, you are essentially leaving the door to your system or device open to hackers.
• Train your filters. Keep your email filter up to date by flagging unsolicited or suspicious messages as spam. This helps limit exposure to potentially harmful content.
• Evolve your policies. As technology advances, so should your cybersecurity practices. Review and update your company’s policies and procedures regularly to stay ahead of new threats.

Example scenario:

A driver at Flashfrate ignored prompts to update their ELD software. That unpatched version was later exploited in a broader ransomware attack that brought down the fleet’s dispatch system during peak delivery season. All because one update was skipped.

This is exactly how ransomware gets in—not through a Hollywood-style heist, but through something as small as a missed update or unsecured login. Once inside, attackers can freeze your entire system and demand payment in cryptocurrency to restore it.

Stay vigilant—together

Cybersecurity isn’t just IT’s problem. Every person in your company—from dispatch to drivers—has a role to play in keeping company systems and data secure. That means knowing how to spot threats, when to speak up, and what actions to take.

Drivers are often the first line of defense, especially when targeted by phishing emails or public Wi-Fi scams. If they’re not trained, your whole system is at risk.

The CarriersEdge cybersecurity course tackles this head-on. It gives every employee—especially drivers—the tools they need to recognize red flags and respond with confidence. The course is included at no additional cost for CarriersEdge subscribers, making it easy to build a culture of security from the ground up.