A Trucking Executive’s Guide to Tackling Cybersecurity Threats in 2024 and Beyond

Cybersecurity is no longer a peripheral concern—it’s a business imperative. Leading fleets like Estes Express Lines, Ward Transport & Logistics, Werner Enterprises, and XPO, understand how their company’s future relies on their executives safeguarding their operations, data, and reputation against increasingly sophisticated cyberthreats. Recent studies reveal that 43% of cyberattacks target small- and medium-sized businesses, including trucking companies, with the average cost of a data breach reaching $4.35 million in 2022. These numbers are not just statistics; they represent the potential disruption to your systems, your fleet, your finances, and your future.

Tailored specifically for trucking executives like you—CEOs, CIOs, CISOs, and CTOs, the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. (NMFTA)’s Cybersecurity Conference, scheduled for October 27-29, 2024, in Cleveland, OH, offers a unique opportunity engage with fellow executives and cybersecurity experts. Collaborate and arm yourself with the knowledge and strategies needed to protect your enterprise from cyber adversaries.

For the time-poor executives in the room, we’ve put together a guide on how to tackle emerging and urgent cybersecurity issues head-on by attending these sessions at the NMFTA Cybersecurity Conference:

Urgent Cybersecurity Issues for Trucking Executives

1. Operational Continuity and Disaster Recovery

Ensuring your fleet’s continuous operation is paramount. Cyberattacks can halt your operations, leading to significant revenue loss and damage to your reputation. Understanding how to build robust business continuity and disaster recovery plans is essential.

Attend: Business Continuity Tabletop Exercise

Engage in practical scenarios to test your readiness and response strategies so your company can recover quickly from disruptions.

2. Data Protection

A critical component of protecting sensitive customer data, financial information, and proprietary logistics data is having tight application programming interface (API) security strategies. With API traffic accounting for more than 50% of all internet traffic, a breach can be widespread and devastating, quickly compromising your competitive edge but eroding trust. Send your IT Security Specialists to the Understanding API Security Through History session to learn the latest techniques and technologies in API data protection and regulatory compliance.

Attend: Navigating the Shadows: Understanding API Security Through History and API Security in the AI Era.

3.Financial Impact of Cyber Breaches

The financial ramifications of a cyberattack can be devastating. Ransomware attacks are on the rise, with a 62% increase in 2023 alone. Understanding the cost implications and how to mitigate them is critical. Attend the Fireside Chat: Present and Future of Cybersecurity in Trucking with Daragh Mahon, executive vice president and chief information officer of Werner Enterprises, and Joe Ohr, chief operating officer at NMFTA, to gain insights into managing these risks and cybersecurity investments effectively.

Attend: Fireside Chat: Present and Future of Cybersecurity in Trucking and On the Road with Ransomware: No Rest Ahead!

4. Reputation Management

Maintaining trust with your customers, partners, and stakeholders is non-negotiable. A cyber incident can quickly tarnish your reputation. This fireside chat with Estes Express Lines, Ward Transport & Logistics, and DAT Freight & Analytics will provide you with strategies to uphold your company’s integrity even in the face of cyber threats.

Attend: Fireside Chat: Recent Hacks, Lessons Learned, and the New Reality

5. Vendor and Partner Risks

Your cybersecurity is only as strong as your weakest link, which often includes third-party vendors and partners. Learn how to manage these risks and implement strong cybersecurity clauses in contracts in the Present and Future of Cybersecurity in Trucking session, to ensure your entire supply chain adheres to stringent cybersecurity standards.

Attend: Fireside Chat: Present and Future of Cybersecurity in Trucking

Keynote and Other Sessions You Won’t Want to Miss

Keynote: Cybersecurity Landscape and Strategy: Hear directly from a representative of the White House’s National Office of the Cyber Director, providing you with a national perspective on cybersecurity threats and policy updates.

Panel Discussion: 2024 Trends and Predictions for 2025 and Beyond: Kick off the conference with an insightful panel discussion with top fleets like XPO and cybersecurity experts addressing the current cybersecurity landscape. Learn about emerging threats and the importance of proactive cybersecurity measures.

Hear Top Fleet Speakers Share Their Strategies

Speakers include: 

• Todd Florence, chief information officer, Estes Express Lines;
• Mike Zupon, vice president of technology, Ward Transport & Logistics;
• Peeyush Patel, global chief information security officer, XPO;
• Daragh Mahon, executive vice president and chief information officer, Werner Enterprises;
• Erika Voss, Ph.D., vice president of information security, DAT Freight & Analytics;
• Art Ocain, vice president of cybersecurity and incident response, Airiam;
• Carrie Yang, senior vice president, March Cyber Practice;
• Erez Yalon, vice president of security research, Checkmarx;
• Steve Hankel, vice president of information technology, Johanson Transportation Service;
• Jamie Lightfoot, cybersecurity researcher, Lightfoot Labs;
• Drew Blanford-Williams, chief information security officer, Condition Zebra;
• Paulo Silva, security practitioner, Char49; and
• Jeremy Daily, Ph.D., assistant professor of systems engineering, Colorado State University; and one of the nation’s top academics on the subject of trucking cybersecurity.

Act Now: Secure Your Spot at the 2024 NMFTA Cybersecurity Conference

The threat landscape is evolving, and the time to act is now. Equip yourself with the knowledge and tools to protect your trucking enterprise from cyberthreats. Join us in Cleveland, OH, from October 27-29, and take a proactive step towards securing your future.

The conference is open to carriers, shippers, 3PLs, government agencies, academia, and students. Register now at nmftacyber.com.