A growing number of cybersecurity incidents in trucking have shown that hacking doesn’t just hurt carriers—it can derail shippers and brokers, too. The reason is simple: You rely on carriers to not only handle sensitive freight data but also protect themselves from bad actors looking to steal login credentials, impersonate trusted carriers, and hijack loads. If carriers aren’t safeguarding this information, everyone in the supply chain is vulnerable.
Fortunately, there are proven best practices carriers can follow as documented in the recently released NMFTA Cybersecurity Best Practices Guidebook that offers a tiered approach for small fleets and owner-operators to protect themselves from cyber threats. The real question for shippers and brokers is how to ensure the carriers you partner with implement these measures.
In this blog, we’ll explore why cybersecurity maturity among your carrier partners matters, how to spot red flags, and how to collaborate with carriers so everyone benefits from a more secure supply chain. Plus, we’ll look at how Descartes’ solutions support safer freight interactions and robust carrier vetting.
Why Carrier Cybersecurity Matters to Shippers & Brokers
Even if your own IT systems are bulletproof, a compromised carrier can lead to operational chaos. Think missed pickups because dispatch is locked by ransomware, sensitive shipment info leaked online, or even stolen loads and double brokering from identity theft enabled through phishing scams. If you’re shipping critical or regulated goods, the reputational and financial risks multiply. Essentially, a carrier’s cybersecurity posture directly impacts your supply chain’s integrity.
Spotting a Security-Conscious Carrier
The National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA) Cybersecurity Best Practices Guidebook provides a four-tier maturity model—starting with foundational controls (Tier One) and scaling up to advanced defenses (Tier Four). Without getting into every detail available in the guidebook, here are the main areas you can ask your carriers about so they can provide you with insights into their commitment to protecting your data and your loads:
Timely Software Updates: Carriers who keep their systems, mobile devices, and onboard technology up to date are showing they care about plugging known security holes.
Secure Accounts & Access: Are they using strong passwords, multifactor authentication (MFA), and assigning unique logins for dispatchers, drivers, and administrative staff? Basic steps like these (especially MFA) can ward off most unauthorized access attempts.
Trained Drivers & Staff: Good carriers regularly train their teams (drivers and office staff) about phishing scams and malware threats. They also have a simple procedure for reporting odd emails or suspicious phone calls.
Documented Plans: A formal incident response plan (even if it’s just a few pages) helps them respond quickly and keep you informed if something goes wrong. Pro tip: Ask them how they’d communicate with you if they lose access to email, dispatch, or other key tools.
Layered Network & Data Protections: If they’re talking about network firewalls, data backups, and possibly using a virtual private network (VPN) for remote access, that’s a strong indicator they’re proactive, not just reactive.
Ways to Vet Cybersecurity Maturity with Your Carriers
1. Add Cybersecurity to Your Onboarding Checklist: When bringing on new carriers, don’t stop at identity verification and insurance and safety ratings. Include a few questions about their security practices—like if they use multifactor authentication or how often they back up critical data.
If the answers are vague or noncommittal, consider it a warning sign. Even small carriers should at least be aware of these fundamentals.
2. Establish Basic Requirements: For higher-risk or high-value shipments, consider requiring carriers to meet specific cybersecurity criteria. This could be part of your contract language or your standard operating procedures.
3. Ask for Annual Confirmation: Just like you might request updated insurance certificates (or rely on Descartes MyCarrierPortal to monitor insurance compliance), request periodic updates on their cybersecurity posture. A simple self-assessment can reveal if they’re keeping up with recommended practices.
4. Collaborative Security Exercises: For strategic carriers, a best practice is to involve carriers in tabletop exercises or scenario planning. For instance, walk through what would happen if the carrier’s dispatch system were hit by ransomware. Do they have an incident response plan? How do they coordinate with you to keep freight moving?
How Descartes Can Help
Descartes offers tools designed to make it easier for shippers and brokers to work with verified, secure carriers:
Carrier Vetting & Fraud Prevention: When you onboard carriers through Descartes MyCarrierPortal, you can trust the carrier is authorized to operate, has valid insurance, has not been blocked from working with other shippers and brokers, or has concerning Incident Reports filed in the platform. Coming soon, you can also view their Descartes MacroPoint tracking history, compliance ratings, and lanes they’re actively working.
Alerts & Anomalies: Our systems flag suspicious changes to carrier profiles, check if emails, phone numbers, and addresses are associated with multiple companies, and with Descartes MacroPoint FraudGuard to alert users of suspicious or ‘spoofed’ tracking pings to stop theft before and after pickup so you can investigate potential risk.
Visibility & Secure Data Exchange: Our solutions prioritize data encryption, robust user access controls, and on-going cybersecurity training for employees reducing the odds of leaks or tampering.
By partnering with a vendor that emphasizes cybersecurity, you reduce the risk of stolen credentials, platform outages, and other vulnerabilities associated with multi-party logistics operations.
Final Thoughts
In a world where freight data moves digitally at every turn, cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. Shippers and brokers can’t afford to ignore the security habits of their carriers—doing so is like locking your own front door while leaving the back gate open. By prioritizing carriers with solid security practices and using technology solutions that reinforce those practices, you significantly reduce the risk of data breaches, ransomware attacks, and costly supply chain disruptions. Adding basic cybersecurity questions to your carrier questionnaire and favoring carriers who answer thoroughly helps create a safer, more resilient network for everyone involved.
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