Australia: Major port operator DP World has reportedly said that it reopened after a cyberattack that crippled the facilities for three days.
DP World Australia manages approximately 40 percent of imports and exports in the country. The logistics company disconnected its system from the internet upon detecting the attack.
“DP World Australia is pleased to announce that operations resumed at the company’s ports across Australia,” the operator said in a statement.
According to the report, the company will move “approximately 5,000 containers out of the four Australian terminals today.”
Mr. Darren Goldie, the Cyber Security Coordinator for the government, stated earlier that the operator is making “good progress” in restoring its sites online.
Mr. Goldie added that the government has not yet determined the people responsible for the cyber attack.
“The resumption of port operations does not mean that this incident has concluded. DP World Australia’s investigation and ongoing remediation work are likely to continue for some time,” DP World remarked.
The Australian government held urgent meetings with the company and industry representatives over the weekend to coordinate its response.
According to the environment and water minister, Ms. Tanya Plibersek, international criminal syndicates were employing ransomware to extort money from Australian businesses.
However, the government did not understand the situation comprehensively, as some victims chose to pay the ransom without reporting it.
DP World is a multinational logistics company based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. It specialises in cargo logistics, port terminal operations, maritime services, and free trade zones.