Threat actors focusing on logistics and freight firms have begun using a cyber-physical blend of tactics to hijack goods in transit. By deploying Remote Monitoring and Management (RMM) tools through carefully crafted phishing emails, attackers gain unauthorized control over networked systems, allowing them to impersonate shipping personnel, reroute freight deliveries, and execute large-scale cargo thefts.
How RMM Tools are Enabling Cyber-Physical Hijackings
Cybercriminal operations are taking advantage of legitimate RMM software, typically used by managed service providers (MSPs) and internal IT departments, to establish persistent remote access to the systems of freight brokers and trucking carriers. This evolution in cybercrime represents a dangerous intersection of network intrusion and physical theft.
Attackers Use Phishing Campaigns to Deploy RMMs
The initial infection vector closely mirrors common phishing patterns seen in other sectors. Freight brokers and carriers receive emails pretending to be from legitimate customers, vendors, or internal logistics entities. Embedded within the emails are malicious links or attachments designed to install RMM tools such as AnyDesk, Splashtop, or ScreenConnect.
Unlike traditional malware, these tools are not inherently malicious and often go undetected by endpoint security solutions, especially when installed under legitimate user accounts.
Common initial access techniques include:
- Social engineering emails posing as legitimate shipping requests
- Malicious URLs leading to RMM installation packages
- Supply chain impersonation to build psychological trust
Once installed, the RMM software provides remote access to the attackers, who quietly monitor business operations and wait for key opportunities to exploit.
From Cyber Access to Physical Cargo Theft
After gaining persistent access via RMM tools, threat actors observe and manipulate logistics data in real-time. Their goal is not merely to steal data, but to intervene directly in the shipping process. This enables cybercriminals to impersonate legitimate freight brokers or drivers and reroute high-value cargo.
Live Interference With Logistics Workflows
With control over broker-dealer communications and shipment scheduling platforms, attackers are able to:
- Identify high-value or time-sensitive freight in transit
- Redirect shipments to alternative drop-off locations under their control
- Provide fraudulent credentials to pickup agents or impersonated drivers
- Sabotage legitimate shipments by canceling orders or rescheduling pickups
These actions rely on the seamless blending of digital intrusion tactics with deep knowledge of the shipping workflow, making detection difficult until the cargo has already changed hands.
Targeted Victims Primarily in the Freight Industry
Small to mid-sized freight carriers and logistics brokers are particularly vulnerable, especially those lacking advanced endpoint detection and response (EDR) solutions or strong user authentication protocols. Since the tools used can be legitimate, behavioral anomalies are often the only line of defense.
Defensive Measures and Best Practices to Counter This Threat
The use of RMM tools for physical theft poses unique challenges, underscoring the need for logistics firms to adapt their cybersecurity and operational security strategies.
Strengthen Email Security and Employee Awareness
Training employees to identify phishing tactics is vital, particularly when attackers tailor emails to seem consistent with shipping norms.
Shipping and logistics teams must:
- Verify sender identity before acting on sensitive requests
- Be cautious about installing software based on email instructions
- Report any unexpected IT-related prompts or support interactions
Implement Security Controls for RMM Applications
Since RMM software is often misused in these campaigns, freight companies should maintain strict controls around deployment and authentication.
Recommended security measures include:
- Allowlisting approved remote management tools
- Requiring multi-factor authentication (MFA) for remote access
- Using behavioral analytics to detect unusual remote sessions
Leverage Endpoint Detection That Flags Anomalous RMM Activity
Traditional antivirus software may not detect abuse of legitimate remote tools. Enterprises in the freight sector should consider behavioral detection tools capable of identifying suspicious RMM patterns, such as:
- Unusual time-of-day access
- Session activity that lacks corresponding ticketing activity
- Connections from unfamiliar IP addresses or regions
An Emerging Threat Requiring Cross-Disciplinary Vigilance
This latest tactic by cybercriminals blurs the already thin line between digital threats and physical crime. The freight and logistics sector must treat IT security as an essential part of its physical asset protection program. With attackers now orchestrating cargo theft through seemingly benign remote access tools, the cost of complacency may no longer be just reputational or financial — it can result in the complete loss of physical goods in transit.
Confronting this new paradigm of cargo theft requires both technical safeguards and procedural rigor. Only through comprehensive, layered defenses can shipping and logistics firms prevent unauthorized access — and keep their freight moving safely.
