---
title: The shipping supply chain is stressed from Covid. That makes it ripe for hackers.
description: Shipping ports have become significantly more reliant on robotic operations and digitized inventory rather than human labor, making them particularly easy to disrupt.
image: https://blog.aiag.org/hubfs/BLOG/ransomware%20attack%20-%20blog.jpg
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# The shipping supply chain is stressed from Covid. That makes it ripe for hackers.

by [Kevin Collier, NBC News](https://blog.aiag.org/author/kevin-collier-nbc-news) | Sep 29, 2021

![ransomware attack - blog](https://blog.aiag.org/hs-fs/hubfs/BLOG/ransomware%20attack%20-%20blog.jpg?width=500&name=ransomware%20attack%20-%20blog.jpg)

The global supply chain, where goods are shipped all over the world, is already stretched thin thanks to a year and a half of operating during a pandemic. It really doesn’t need hackers mucking things up further.

But experts warn that the [$100 billion](https://www.joc.com/maritime-news/container-shipping-track-100-billion-2021-profit-drewry_20210705.html#:~:text=%E2%80%9CThey%20could%20potentially%20make%20as,levels%20were%20translated%20into%20profits.) shipping industry — especially the heavily computerized ports that receive cargo ships, as well as the actual crafts — are ripe targets for ransomware attacks. And the U.S. shipping industry is already backed up, as the coronavirus pandemic has caused a [backlog](https://www.nbcnews.com/now/video/shipping-slowdown-ripples-through-economy-118907461513) with Americans ordering more goods to their home than ever before.

[Read full article here.](https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/security/ransomware-hackers-hit-us-supply-chain-experts-warn-rcna1718)

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