INDUSTRY FACT FILE · LOGISTICS, WAREHOUSING & SUPPLY CHAINS

Cybersecurity FAQs for Logistics, Warehousing and Supply Chains

Forty frequently asked questions and answers in five categories, written for Boards, CIOs and CISOs, operations and hub heads, fleet managers, engineering, finance, compliance and key account teams.

In this document 1.  Category 1: Cyber risk, governance and strategy 2.  Category 2: Regulation, standards and customer requirements 3.  Category 3: Platforms, APIs, fleets and warehouse automation 4.  Category 4: SOC, incidents, fraud and continuity 5.  Category 5: Partners, data and customers

Audience: Boards, CEOs, CFOs, CIOs and CISOs

Q1. Why are logistics companies attractive targets?

Because stopped cargo creates immediate pressure to pay, because freight is paid by invoice over email, and because shipment data is both personal and operationally valuable. Partner APIs, telematics and SaaS connect hundreds of organisations to the same systems, which widens the door.

Q2. What are the biggest risks for an Indian logistics company?

Ransomware stopping TMS, WMS and customs filings; business email compromise diverting freight payments; partner API keys leaking consignee data; telematics and warehouse automation reached from the internet or by vendors; supply-chain SaaS outages; and slow detection that misses CERT-In's six-hour window.

Q3. Which incidents should the Board know about?

Maersk (2017) rebuilt 45,000 PCs and lost US$250–300 million to NotPetya; Hellmann (2021) had data leaked and warned of payment fraud; Expeditors (2022) shut down global systems and absorbed about US$60 million in costs; Blue Yonder (2024) disrupted retailers' warehouses; KNP Logistics (2025) collapsed after one guessed password.

Q4. Is this an IT problem or an operations problem?

Both. Most incidents begin in IT—email, a portal, a cloud key—and reach operations through platform dependencies, flat networks or vendor access. Security must be owned jointly by IT, operations, fleet and finance, with the Board accountable.

Q5. What should the Board review each quarter?

Platform dependencies and recovery test results, partner and vendor access, API key inventory, BEC controls and attempted frauds, telematics and automation security, shipper audit outcomes, incidents and near misses, SOC coverage and exercise results.

Q6. Who should own logistics cybersecurity?

A CISO or security head working with operations, fleet and finance leadership, with named owners for each platform, hub, fleet system and critical partner relationship and a single inventory of systems, integrations and data.

Q7. How should we prioritise investment?

Make core platforms recoverable, enforce MFA and payment verification, control partner APIs and vendor access, secure fleets and automation, protect consignee data and build monitoring that covers platforms, hubs, fleets and mailboxes—in that order.

Q8. How can Codec Networks help?

Codec Networks provides fleet and IoT security assessments, partner API and portal testing, warehouse OT assurance, 24x7 logistics SOC, continuity and recovery planning, BEC controls and simulations, supply-chain SaaS and vendor risk programmes and DPDP privacy programmes.

Audience: Compliance, legal, company secretarial, key account and CISO offices

Q9. Do CERT-In Directions apply to logistics companies?

Yes. They apply to bodies corporate generally. Cyber incidents must be reported within six hours of noticing them and ICT logs retained for 180 days in India.

Q10. What do CERT-In's 2025 audit guidelines expect?

Risk-based, independent cyber audits covering IT, OT/ICS, cloud and applications, with closure of findings—so warehouse automation, telematics platforms and SaaS integrations belong in the audit scope.

Q11. Does NCIIPC apply to us?

Transport is a critical sector, but obligations attach to systems notified as protected systems—more likely for ports, airports, rail and national platforms than for private operators. Good practice aligns with NCIIPC guidance regardless.

Q12. What must listed logistics companies disclose?

Under SEBI's LODR Regulations, listed entities disclose cyber security incidents, breaches and loss of data in the quarterly corporate governance report, and material events as required.

Q13. How does the DPDP Act affect a logistics company?

You process personal data of consignees, drivers, riders, customers and employees, often as a processor for shippers. The DPDP Act and Rules require notice, consent, safeguards, retention limits and breach intimation, with most obligations taking effect in May 2027.

Q14. What do AIS 140 and the e-way bill system mean for security?

AIS 140 tracking devices and their platforms hold location data for regulated vehicles; e-way bill and ICEGATE credentials authorise legally significant filings. Both need access controls, monitoring and protection against misuse.

Q15. Our shipper sent a security questionnaire—what should we expect?

Questions mapped to ISO/IEC 27001 controls, incident notification duties, sub-processor management and, for EU customers, NIS2 supply-chain clauses. Treat it as an audit and build a reusable evidence pack.

Q16. Can Codec Networks audit us?

Yes. Codec Networks is CERT-In empanelled and performs IT/OT audits, ISO 27001 and IEC 62443 gap assessments and shipper audit support.

Audience: Engineering, product, fleet, hub and automation teams

Q17. How often should we test portals, APIs and apps?

At least annually in full, after major releases or new integrations, and before peak seasons. Platforms that onboard merchants and carriers continuously should test continuously.

Q18. How should partner API keys be managed?

Issue scoped keys per partner and purpose, rotate them, forbid embedding in public code, rate-limit requests, use non-guessable identifiers and monitor for enumeration and bulk retrieval.

Q19. How do we secure telematics and fleet IoT?

Assess the platform and devices, enforce strong authentication and role-based access, restrict and log remote commands, minimise load and route data, and monitor platform logins.

Q20. How should warehouse automation be protected?

Segment WMS, PLCs, sorters and AS/RS from office IT using a zone-and-conduit model, remove flat networks, broker vendor access with MFA and recording, keep PLC programs backed up and monitor OT traffic.

Q21. How do we assess automation without stopping the hub?

Passive asset discovery, configuration and architecture reviews, and any active testing planned outside cut-offs with operations—never unplanned scanning of controllers.

Q22. What about driver and rider apps?

Test them against OWASP MASVS and the APIs behind them, protect OTP and COD flows, bind accounts to verified identities and devices, and monitor for shared logins and fraud patterns.

Q23. How should we approach multi-tenant TMS or WMS that we provide to customers?

Secure SDLC, tenant isolation testing, cloud posture reviews, secrets management, logging per tenant and assurance reports such as ISO 27001 or SOC 2 that customers can rely on.

Q24. How do we protect cold-chain monitoring?

Secure the sensors, gateways and platform, restrict who can edit records, alert on gaps or implausible readings and keep tamper-evident audit trails for compliance.

Audience: SOC, finance, risk, infrastructure and incident response teams

Q25. Do logistics companies need a 24x7 SOC?

Yes, if operations run around the clock. Attacks are timed for nights, weekends and peaks; a SOC that correlates platform, cloud, hub, fleet and mailbox telemetry catches intrusions and fraud early.

Q26. What should a logistics SOC monitor?

Privilege escalation on platforms, mailbox rules and unusual logins, API abuse and bulk retrieval, telematics platform access and commands, OT traffic in automated hubs, cloud key usage and partner VPN sessions.

Q27. How do we stop freight payment fraud?

Enforce MFA on email, monitor forwarding rules, verify every bank-detail change by call-back to a known number, require dual approval for new payees, watch for look-alike domains and train finance teams with BEC simulations.

Q28. What should an incident playbook include?

Containment that keeps hubs and deliveries running where safe, manual operation and customs filing procedures, CERT-In reporting within six hours, shipper and partner notification, SEBI disclosure if listed and DPDP breach intimation once in force.

Q29. How should backups be designed?

Immutable or offline backups of TMS, WMS, freight and filing systems, databases, PLC programs and configurations, with regular restore tests and documented restart sequences by hub.

Q30. Should we run exercises?

Yes—an annual ransomware tabletop with leadership and operations, a peak-season war game with hubs and SOC, a BEC exercise with finance and a SaaS-outage scenario with key partners.

Q31. How quickly can a logistics company recover from ransomware?

With segmented platforms, tested backups and manual-operation playbooks, days; without them, weeks—as public cases show, with cargo stuck and demurrage accruing throughout.

Q32. When should forensics be engaged?

As soon as compromise or payment fraud is suspected, with investigators who understand logistics platforms and email systems, to preserve evidence, establish root cause and support CERT-In, shipper, bank and insurance processes.

Audience: Procurement, key account, privacy, customer service and operations teams

Q33. How do we manage risk from supply-chain SaaS providers?

Identify the providers whose outage would stop operations, assess their security and resilience, agree notification and recovery duties in contracts, monitor your integrations and rehearse running without them.

Q34. How should automation vendors and contractors access our sites?

Through brokered gateways with MFA, named accounts, approval per session, time limits and recording—never standing VPNs or shared passwords—and with security clauses in maintenance contracts.

Q35. How do we protect consignee data?

Know every copy—tracking systems, apps, exports, partner feeds—minimise and encrypt it, restrict access by role, monitor bulk access and delete data when retention ends.

Q36. How do we deal with fake delivery scams using our brand?

Monitor messaging and web channels, issue takedowns, warn customers through official channels, close the data leaks that make scams convincing and report large campaigns to CERT-In and law enforcement.

Q37. How should merchants and carriers be onboarded to our APIs?

With security requirements, scoped keys, sandbox testing, rate limits and monitoring, plus the right to suspend keys that misbehave.

Q38. What should shipper contracts say about security?

Clear responsibilities for data protection, incident notification timelines, audit rights, sub-processor rules and recovery objectives that both sides can actually meet.

Q39. How do we reduce cargo theft enabled by data?

Limit who can see load contents, routes and stops, secure telematics access, vary predictable patterns and monitor for unusual data access before high-value movements.

Q40. How can we start with Codec Networks?

Begin with a scoping call on your platforms, hubs, fleets, partners and shippers; Codec Networks will propose an operations-aware assessment and assurance plan.

Contact Codec Networks Pvt. Ltd. New Delhi: 507, 5th Floor, New Delhi House, Barakhamba Road, Connaught Place, New Delhi – 110001 Gurugram: 707, 7th Floor, Silverton Tower, Golf Course Extension Road, Sector 50, Gurugram – 122018, Haryana Landline: 011 430 496 96 | 011 437 522 99   Mobile: +91 99716 76124 | +91 88007 88220 | +91 88003 31124 Email: mktg@codecnetworks.com   Web: www.codecnetworks.com

Note: These FAQs provide general guidance as of October 2026 and do not constitute legal, safety or regulatory advice. Confirm obligations against the official instruments and your shipper and platform contracts.