It was inevitable, I suppose, that cybercriminals have set their sights on trucking companies. Fleets carry lucrative cargo. They have access to the personal and business data of their drivers and clients. They process payments that can be in the seven figures. And it needs to be said (because criminals know it) that fleets often struggle to keep up with ever-evolving – at hyper speed – cybersecurity requirements.
We’re seeing the consequences. Many cyberattacks have targeted fleets. They’ve lost cargo to cybercrime. They’ve been locked out of their own systems. One carrier even had an API hacked and their cargo held for ransom. And as AI becomes more and more sophisticated, cybercrime and cyberattacks are only going to accelerate.
That’s something we want to help the trucking community prevent. You may not know this, but TruckRight’s actual legal business name is “Truck-Right Data Management Inc.” The safe and secure storage of fleet personnel files is what we do.
To help lock down your fleet, start with something that seems obvious but is often overlooked. Protecting your fleet from cybercrime starts with the simplest solution: keeping your digital doors locked at all times. By this, of course, I mean ensuring everyone in your company follows a strong password protocol. Let’s get right into it.
Four steps to perfect password protocol:
- DON’T WRITE PASSWORDS DOWN. I don’t use all-caps lightly, but this point warrants them. High-tech platforms are often breeched by the most low-tech mistake possible: passwords carelessly left in plain sight. Too many people still write their passwords down, often on a sticky note, and leave them somewhere anyone can easily find. Make it clear to every member of your team that this should never be done. It’s like leaving your car keys taped to the hood of your car. Of course, we know why people are tempted to write their passwords down. The eternal dilemma is they’re often forgotten. A good solution? Password vaults are a safe way to store and access passwords, and can be secured so only certain people can access them. (Including members of your technology team if you need to gain access after a departure or in an emergency.)
- Make passwords complicated. Think of how many different devices your drivers use while on the job: ELDs, smartphones, tablets, even laptops. With most of their work happening remotely, they’re going to log into different platforms frequently. Which makes complicated passwords essential to security. Ensure passwords are a minimum of 16 characters. You should also strongly suggest a combination of capital letters, numbers and special characters. For anyone logging in remotely to your platforms, build in a trigger that locks a user out after too many failed attempts.
- Two-step authentication is awesome. A strong password only gets you halfway there. Design your system so that after a password has been successfully entered, an authentication code is sent to a user’s phone or email. They’ll then be required to enter the code to gain access. Just make sure that if it’s a system few people need to use (such as your website’s back end) that you change the recipient of the second-step access if one of your employees leaves. Getting access back when somebody leaves isn’t impossible, but it’s a big headache that’s easily avoided.
- Make sure you have a password policy and that your people understand it. Your password protocol is only as strong as the people who follow it. Your drivers and office staff need to know what to do – and what NOT to do – to protect their passwords. Especially when they’re working remotely or out on the road. It can take some effort to get everyone working in sync, but the effort means a greatly reduced risk of a devastating cyberattack.
A strong password protocol (and employees who know exactly how to follow it) is your first line of defense against cyberattacks and data breaches. To protect your company, your fleet and your customers, make sure your entire team is password-savvy.