GEFCO hit by cyber attack

Freight forwarder GEFCO has confirmed that it came under an external cyberattack last Sunday “designed to disrupt our business” but that its air business has not been affected.

Few details have been released by the France-based logistics company about the attack although Luc Nadal, GEFCO chief executive and chairman of the management board, issued a statement on the company website.

Said Nadal: “As soon as we learned about the cyberattack, we contacted our customers and partners to inform them, and we mobilized our employees to identify and implement alternative processes to ensure business continuity.

“Our IT team, together with our IT partners are working 24 hours a day to restore our business apps and we have already made a lot of progress in finding backup solutions.  

“I would like to thank you for showing your support for GEFCO during this critical time. In our 70+ year history, GEFCO has weathered many storms. We are a resilient and robust organization with a strong  Partners, unlimited  mindset.”

Nadal continued: “We have pushed back boundaries to find solutions for our customers throughout the years, and today we are grateful for your commitment to us. Every day, we become stronger, boosted by our strong values: cooperation, agility, courage, caring and trust.

“We will continue to do everything possible to preserve the integrity of our business and to serve you. We will keep you informed about our progress and thank you for your commitment to GEFCO.”

In a statement issued today, the forwarder confirmed that its air business was unaffected: “Since Sunday September 20, GEFCO Group has been targeted by an external global cyberattack that is impacting our operations. Our Air & Sea division has not been impacted.

“While we do not yet know the origin of this cyberattack, we are working 24/7 with our IT partners and authorities to investigate and resolve the issue. Our teams have introduced alternative processes to ensure business continuity and we remain committed to our employees, customers and partners. We will provide regular updates on this issue.”

Australian freight forwarder Toll suffered a cyberattack in January this year, while Maersk Line and TNT suffered the petya cyber attack in 2017, causing major disruption.

DHL’s recent logistics trend radar stated:  “As one of the largest and most critical drivers of the global economy, the logistics industry has been progressively targeted by cyberattacks, with some sources ranking it as the second most attacked industry in 2019.”