Coast Guard and FBI Board Oil Tankers After Detecting Malicious Cyber Activity

The United States Coast Guard announced Tuesday that it had found clear signs of malicious cyber activity aboard the VL Prosperity, an oil tanker operating in the Gulf of Mexico, prompting both the Coast Guard and the Federal Bureau of Investigation to board the vessel for a thorough inspection.

According to the agency, the intrusion was identified through routine network monitoring that flagged unauthorized access attempts on the ship's navigation and cargo management systems. While the Coast Guard confirmed the presence of a cyber intrusion, officials stopped short of assigning blame to any nation or group, noting that the investigation is still ongoing.

The boarding operation, conducted in coordination with the FBI, also extended to a second oil tanker that reported similar anomalies. Both vessels were escorted to a secure port where forensic teams will extract logs, assess potential data loss, and determine whether the attacks could have impacted safety-critical functions such as steering, engine control, or ballast management.

Maritime cyber threats have risen sharply in recent years, with hackers targeting shipping companies to disrupt global supply chains, extort operators, or gather intelligence. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has highlighted the sector as a high‑risk environment, given its reliance on interconnected navigation, communications, and cargo systems that can be vulnerable to remote exploitation.

Officials said the current investigation will focus on identifying the attack vector, assessing any operational impact, and recommending mitigation steps to prevent recurrence. The Coast Guard emphasized that, despite the intrusion, there were no immediate safety incidents reported on either vessel. The outcome of the forensic analysis could shape future regulatory guidance on cybersecurity standards for commercial shipping, a topic that has gained bipartisan attention in Congress following several high‑profile maritime breaches worldwide.