Cybersecurity in trucking — similarly to many other industries — has historically been treated as an IT problem: Important, but completely separate from the daily realities of dispatching freight and keeping the trucks moving.
That era is over.
National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. (NMFTA) recently released its annual 2026 Transportation Industry Cybersecurity Trends Report.
Disturbing trends
One of the trends that stands out this year is how thoroughly cyber threats have converged with operational, and even physical, security risks to cause operational disruption. This is transforming cybersecurity into a core business and resilience issue for the transportation industry.
Digital crime now regularly results in stolen loads, hijacked carrier identities, manipulated dispatch instructions and billions of dollars in losses across the supply chain.
As the freight industry enters 2026, the message is clear:
Cybersecurity cannot operate in a vacuum. It must be embedded into every aspect of an organization’s operation in order to effectively protect the bottom line.
Social engineering has remained the leading entry point for attacks across the transportation sector over the past 12 months.
Something has changed in the purpose though, with social engineering increasingly facilitating physical theft of freight. Criminals no longer need to break into drop-yards or cut seals. They can change delivery instructions digitally or convince a dispatcher they are dealing with a trusted partner and make entire loads vanish.
For carriers, especially small and mid-sized fleets that cannot absorb even one large-scale financial loss resulting from the unrecovered loss of a high-value load, this new breed of cyber-enabled cargo theft creates risk well beyond that addressed by traditional loss prevention measures.
The breakout factor
Another major shift is the speed at which modern cyberattacks unfold. By the third quarter of 2025 (the most recent calculated data at the time of report release) the average “breakout time” (the gap between initial compromise and lateral movement in the victim network) fell to approximately 18 minutes.
That’s less than 20 minutes for your team to take action.
This fundamentally changes how fleets must think about defense. Manual response is no longer sufficient. By the time the IT or cybersecurity team realizes something is wrong, attackers may already have accessed critical systems or begun to exfiltrate sensitive operational data. Automated threat detection and response is now the baseline expectation for effective cyber-defense.
Cyberattackers play dirty
Attackers are also increasingly weaponizing legitimate tools that are already present in their target environments. Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) software, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs), file-sharing services and other administrative utilities are being used to move laterally and exfiltrate data without triggering traditional security alarms.
The takeaway is sobering:
The tools we rely on to operate efficiently can also be used against us if not tightly controlled.
Targeted theft and extortion
While ransomware remains a major concern, we are starting to see a strategic shift away from indiscriminate file encryption toward more targeted data theft and extortion. Criminal groups are increasingly stealing sensitive data and threatening public release rather than locking systems outright.
This approach can be particularly damaging in the trucking industry, where trust and reputation are central tenets of the operational reality. Even the threat of leaked customer data or falsified documents being exposed to reflect poorly on an organization can pressure victims into paying ransoms quickly to avoid reputational harm or contract losses.
On-road equipment and telematics devices
Heavy-duty trucks, trailers and telematics devices are now part of the attack surface, playing a role in a significant portion of reported cargo crimes.
Global Positioning System (GPS) spoofing, telematics manipulation and insecure aftermarket devices have all been used to facilitate or conceal thefts in progress by misdirect loads and create blind spots in tracking systems.
As fleets increasingly rely on connected vehicle technologies to improve safety and efficiency, security practices need to keep pace. Attackers actively look for weak points in connected systems by exploiting the security gaps at the integration points. Poorly secured telematics devices or weak application programming interface (API) security between vehicle systems and cloud platforms can provide attackers with precisely this type of entry point.
AI as a weapon
Artificial intelligence (AI), whether you love it or hate it, is one of the most disruptive forces shaping cybersecurity in 2026.
On the offensive side, attackers are using AI to generate flawless phishing emails, deepfake voice calls and counterfeit shipping documents tailored specifically to trucking operations. These messages reference real loads, lanes and company details, making them extremely difficult to spot.
AI-driven automation also allows attackers to scan for vulnerabilities and exploit them at machine speed. New software flaws are now being exploited within hours of public disclosure, often before patches are available.
However, AI is not just a new tool for the bad guys.
Fleets that deploy AI-augmented behavioral analytics and automated monitoring in their security operations can detect anomalies such as unusual login patterns, unauthorized load cancellations or unexpected route changes far faster than human defenders alone.
However, poorly governed AI deployments can introduce new risks if data hygiene and access controls are weak — so it is important to move deliberately and with strong strategic oversight when deploying new AI-powered tools.
Not just a security issue
Cybersecurity is also becoming a regulatory and financial issue. The Department of Homeland Security’s upcoming Cyber Incident Reporting for Critical Infrastructure Act (CIRCIA), expected to take effect in 2026, will require certain transportation entities to report significant cyber incidents within 72 hours. For many privately owned carriers that are not already subject to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reporting requirements, this will be a major change.
Cyber insurance underwriters are also increasingly requiring proof of strong cyber-maturity, with organizations that are unable to demonstrate basic cyber maturity facing higher premiums or simply unable to get coverage.
We must protect our industry.
The trucking industry is made up of some of the most hard-working and resilient people around. We have risen to many significant challenges as an industry before, from safety regulations to supply chain disruptions.
Cyber-enabled crime is the next challenge.
The fleets that succeed in 2026 will be those that treat cybersecurity as a core operational discipline, not just a compliance “checkbox” for the IT team.
Collaboration, open sharing of lessons learned across the industry and willingness to pivot to effectively meet this new challenge is well within our collective sites over the next year.
Let’s make 2026 the year of transportation cyber-resilience.
Ben Wilkens, CISSP, CCSP, CISM, is a Cybersecurity Principal Engineer at the National Motor Freight Traffic Association Inc. (NMFTA).
In his role at NMFTA, Ben spearheads research initiatives and leads teams dedicated to developing cutting-edge cybersecurity technologies, methodologies and strategies to safeguard information systems and networks. He collaborates extensively with academic institutions, industry partners and government agencies to advance cybersecurity practices and knowledge.
Ben provides expert insights and recommendations to organizations, enhancing their security posture and helping them navigate the constantly evolving landscape of cyber threats.
Before joining NMFTA, Ben was a key executive at a third-generation family-owned trucking and logistics company. There, he focused on the strategic integration of technology to improve operational efficiency while ensuring adherence to cybersecurity best practices.
With a rare combination of CISSP, CCSP and CISM certifications — alongside an active Class A CDL — Ben brings a unique perspective to the intersection of cybersecurity and transportation. In addition to his extensive experience as an over-the-road driver, he has held roles in dispatch operations, driver management, and brokerage sales. Ben later transitioned to IT and operations support, where he honed his expertise in cybersecurity.
