Cyberattack Forces North Carolina Ports to Shift to Manual Operations

A cyberattack on the North Carolina Ports Authority's IT systems disrupted operations across the state's maritime network this Tuesday. The breach forced the agency to activate contingency plans to maintain the flow of cargo through its critical infrastructure.

The attack impacted all three of the authority's facilities: the Port of Wilmington, the Port of Morehead City, and the Charlotte Inland Port. The IT failure forced the agency to shift to manual processing for its operations and resulted in delayed gate openings. The North Carolina Ports Authority has since stated that the breach is contained and the agency is currently in the recovery process with the assistance of an outside forensics team.

Infrastructure Under Pressure

The scale of the disruption is significant given that the North Carolina Ports handle more than 4 million tons of cargo annually. To manage the fallout and investigate the origin of the breach, the authority contacted multiple state agencies and the U.S. Coast Guard, which is currently monitoring the situation. This incident follows a global trend of ransomware gangs and state-sponsored actors targeting critical maritime infrastructure, with similar disruptions previously reported at ports in Seattle and other U.S. regions.

The Vulnerability of Supply Chains

This breach underscores the fragility of the modern supply chain, where a failure at the digital login screen can create physical bottlenecks. When ports are forced to revert to manual processing, the resulting delays can ripple through regional and national economies, affecting everything from raw material delivery to consumer goods. The reliance on aging or vulnerable operational technology (OT) creates a high-stakes environment where a single point of failure can stall millions of tons of trade.

A Call for Modernization

In response to the attack, Senator Tom Cotton highlighted the broader security implications, stating that "attacks on civilian infrastructure have become a routine instrument of modern warfare, and American operational technology is a target." In a letter to Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Cotton called for increased investment in the modernization of U.S. operational technology to better protect vital infrastructure from foreign adversaries.

While the North Carolina Ports Authority maintains that the immediate threat is contained, the full extent of the data breach and the identity of the attackers remain unconfirmed. Industry observers will be watching for the final forensics report to determine if this was an isolated criminal act or part of a coordinated campaign against U.S. maritime logistics.