CMA CGM systems up and running after September’s cyberattack

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French shipping giant CMA CGM have announced that their e-commerce sites are now live again – almost two weeks after the company were hit by a cyber attack.

In a statement confirming the news of Twitter, CMA CGM thanked the commitment of their IT specialists:

The attack on CMA CGM occured 13 days ago on September 28th. During this time it was possible to make bookings via 3rd party platforms, but some important CMA CGM features remained offline.

Commenting on the news on LinkedIn, shipping expert Lars Jensen encouraged organisations to make improvements to their security:

All should heed two key pieces of advise:
– Strengthen your defenses. This will reduce the likelihood of a successful attack and limit the damage when hit.
– No matter how good your defenses are, there is still a risk. It is imperative to have a solid contingency plan keeping you running potentially for weeks.

To illustrate his point, Jensen also described the situation as being like a fire on a ship:

It is no different than a fire on a vessel. Reduce the risk of the fire happening at all. If a fire breaks out, ensure the design of the vessel hinders the spread. Have a fire-fighting plan that is clear and well-rehearsed. 

The news will come as huge relief to CMA CGM, and comes off the back of another good news story on Friday, when the company’s liquefied natural gas container ship made its maiden voyage.

Photo credit: violetta / pixabay