The State Service for Maritime, Inland Waterway Transport, and Shipping of Ukraine is the target of a cyberattack, according to the cybercriminal organization Anonymous Central. Additionally, the group says that it has obtained access to the database of the Ukrainian government-owned service.

Threat actor Anonymous Central posted the purported breach involving Ukrainian Water Transport on the dark web and a Telegram channel.

The purported Ukrainian Water Transport breach prompted the State Service for Maritime, Inland Waterway Transport, and Shipping to look into it further; however, as of the time this report was written, an official response had yet to be provided. We also tested loading the website on our computers, and everything worked as it should.

“Database of sea transport vessels: Cargo delivery,” is the message that Anonymous Central posted. 

A threat research group posted about the incident on “X” (formerly Twitter) the day after Christmas. A screenshot of the post was included, and it said, “PS DB FRESH 2023! TO ALL OF YOU, MERRY CHRISTMAS! (Heart Emoji)”, implying that the purported breach involving Ukrainian Water Transport has occurred recently.

The State Service of Maritime and River Transport of Ukraine is an agency of the Ukrainian government under the Ministry of Infrastructure. Its duties include implementing government policies regarding merchant shipping, transportation by inland waterways, hydrographic support for navigation, and safety in sea and river transportation. Its main office is located in Kyiv.

There may be dire repercussions from the purported data breach at the State Service of Maritime and River Transport of Ukraine, an organization under the Ministry of Infrastructure. The Kyiv-based organization has sensitive data about river and marine transportation, including private citizens and personal information.

The safety of river and marine transport may be jeopardized by an alleged breach in Ukrainian water transport, which could reveal vital safety procedures and navigational information. National security may be impacted by the possible disclosure of sensitive information, particularly when it comes to defense or security protocols.

Moreover, a violation might interfere with executing government policies about merchant shipping and inland waterway navigation, which would present regulatory issues for the State Service for Maritime, Inland Waterway Transport, and Shipping of Ukraine.

Operations disruptions, legal repercussions, reputational harm, and the need for stronger cybersecurity safeguards could all result from the reported data breach.

To mitigate these risks and preserve the efficient operation of the river and maritime transportation industries, a strong cybersecurity framework, frequent audits, and an advanced incident response plan are necessary.