According to Bloomberg, US investigators have found evidence that hackers were able to gain access to the propulsion system of the oil tanker “VL Prosperity”.
According to media reports, the extent of the breach and the identity of those behind the attack are still under investigation. The news agency cites US officials familiar with the investigation. According to them, unauthorised individuals temporarily gained access to the ship’s digital propulsion system. How long this access lasted and which functions the attackers could have controlled via it was initially unclear, according to the report.
The FBI and the US Coast Guard boarded the “VL Prosperity” in August after communication links had failed and there were indications that the ship’s network had been compromised. The fully loaded supertanker was en route to Galveston in the US state of Texas.
FBI reports no operational disruptions
The US Coast Guard declined to comment to Bloomberg on the new findings. The FBI referred to an earlier joint statement issued by both agencies. In it, they confirmed the investigation into the “VL Prosperity” and another vessel following indications of compromised networks. The aim, they stated, had been to ensure the integrity of the operational and information technology systems.
According to the FBI, there were no reports of operational disruptions, instability of the vessels, specific dangers to the crews or environmental damage. The report therefore does not provide evidence of an actual takeover of the vessels’ control systems. At the time of the Bloomberg report’s publication, the “VL Prosperity” was still anchored off the US port of Galveston.
