Introduction

Press stories of attacks by hackers are increasingly common but the reported victims are often well-known companies that hold large amounts of credit card and other sensitive personal data. Although it may sometimes be difficult to see the relevance of these events to your company, the use of information technology and electronic communication is a central feature of the activities carried out by ITIC’s members. Any business can be the subject of an attack by hackers.

ITIC, as a professional indemnity insurer, has always provided cover for damages arising from the loss of or damage to computer records in the members’ custody and that remains the case. The threat that has recently emerged is from third parties misusing your computer systems to cause damage to data held by someone else. Liner agents, for example, exchange large amounts of information both with the line and the port. Hacking into systems operated by such service providers can be used by criminals as a gateway to gain access to both the port and lines’ systems.

Fraudsters use brokers, agents and ship managers as a vehicle for crime.  The result leaves you exposed to a liability as a result of somebody else’s dishonesty.  Acts of fraud can be varied, and ITIC’s experience has shown that fraudsters will often seek to make themselves respectable by associating their actions with reputable companies. This seems to have become easier to do through intercepting businesses through electronic means. It is therefore important that all ITIC members are aware as to how they can be manipulated to assist fraudulent transactions.

In this edition of The Wire the topics of fraud and cyber will be discussed, with practical loss prevention advice offered.