U.S. Coast Guard and FBI officials recently boarded two foreign-flagged commercial vessels in the Gulf of Mexico due to fears of cyber intrusions. This unusual operation, which took place on August 21 and 24, was prompted by evidence suggesting that hackers may have compromised the ships’ computer networks. The agencies involved have been addressing a growing number of cyber incidents thought to be connected to Iran amid ongoing tensions between Washington and Tehran.
The FBI announced that a joint team from the Coast Guard and the Bureau conducted the boardings after receiving alerts regarding potential breaches in both vessels’ networks. While the Coast Guard acknowledged the involvement of "foreign cyber actors," it did not provide specifics. Moreover, discrepancies in the agencies’ accounts have not been clarified, as the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency redirected inquiries back to the Coast Guard.
According to Corey Ranslem, CEO of maritime security firm Dryad Global, one of the vessels affected was the Liberian-flagged VL Prosperity, currently anchored off Galveston, Texas. Reports from Iran’s Mehr news agency indicated that this ship experienced a significant cyberattack while passing through the Strait of Gibraltar, leading to a 30-hour communications blackout and tampering with its engine systems. Although the source of this attack remains unconfirmed, experts predict that such maritime cyber threats will likely escalate in the future.
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