Cybersecurity, a top-priority investment for the logistics sector

Zaragoza University has hosted the seventh meeting of the Carreras Chair of Sustainability and Logistical Innovation (Cátedra Carreras de Sostenibilidad e Innovación Logística), which brought together the whole academic, professional and business community interested in learning about the latest supply-chain technology trends. The day’s speakers gave their various takes on the potential of data and the Internet of Things, the breakthroughs in artificial intelligence, GMV concentrating on its own experience of the value that cybersecurity can add to the supply chain.

In recent years the logistics industry has come in for several cyberattacks. These have not always depended wholly on technological factors but rather human errors or capacity shortfalls. In this scenario, interconnectivity and the sheer amount of data they handle make the supply chain particularly vulnerable. This makes it necessary to step up prevention-, detection-, reaction- and recovery-measures in order to be ready for anything an increasingly hostile environment might throw at any of the stakeholders: suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, agencies, customers, etc.

One of the prime problems arises from the risk of jeopardizing data confidentiality and integrity, both in the control of transport assets and the goods stored or supplied. Consideration has to be given here to the fact that future transport systems will have total network connectivity, while real-time data transfer will become automatic, posing a risk to the business concerned if the system is hacked. To confront these threats companies need first and foremost to assess and diagnose the risks, draw up a mitigation plan and build a cybersecurity-conscious culture.

During his speech Javier Osuna, Cybersecurity Service and Consultancy Manager of GMV’s Secure e-Solutions sector, listed the actions to be taken into account, such as understanding of the environment and its threats, the earmarking of budgets in keeping with IT and R&D investment and the management of interconnected supply-chain risks to safeguard administrative and operational tasks, avoiding and mitigating any negative consequences for the company, its suppliers and customers.