In 2025, the transportation and logistics sector is increasingly under siege from cyberattacks. As supply chains grow more digitized, interconnected, and dependent on real-time systems, threat actors have more entry points and incentives than ever before. The costs are steep: downtime, ransom demands, reputational damage, and systemic disruption.
Industry data underscores the urgency. Over the past five years, cyber incidents in transport have risen nearly 48%, putting the sector among the top three most-targeted domains. Maritime ransomware alone surged 467% in one recent year. According to IDC and other forecasts, the cybersecurity market for logistics is expected to grow at a compound annual rate of around 12% from 2024 to 2037.
Below are technology trends and strategic themes defining how logistics firms are fighting back:
AI/ML-driven threat detection and automation
As attackers employ faster, more adaptive tactics, defenders lean heavily on artificial intelligence and machine learning. These tools help detect anomalous network patterns, phishing campaigns, insider risk, or supply-chain compromises faster than manual methods. Automation then plugs into incident response, quarantining segments or isolating systems with minimal human intervention.
Zero Trust and microsegmentation
The “trust but verify” era is over. Logistics systems increasingly adopt Zero Trust architectures to segment networks, verify identities continuously, and restrict lateral movement even after an initial breach. Especially in fleets, ports, and warehouse automation environments, Zero Trust helps ensure that even internal systems remain constrained.
Cyber-physical system (CPS) / IoT security hardening
Vehicles, sensors, robotics, and industrial control systems are core to modern logistics. But these cyber-physical systems often have weak firmware, default credentials, or network blind spots, making them attractive attack vectors. In response, operators are embedding threat modeling frameworks (some assisted by large language models) to map possible attack paths across physical and software domains.
Supply chain/vendor security and software integrity
Compromise of third-party software or hardware is a fast lane into logistics systems. The Middle East in particular has seen a rising tally of supply chain attacks in recent months. Logistics operators now push vendor assessments, code signing, secure firmware updates, and stricter supplier auditing as core defenses.
Cyber resilience, redundancy, and anomaly detection at the edge
Resilience is a priority: systems must survive partial failures. Edge computing and local anomaly detection are gaining currency so localized control continues even if central systems are disrupted. Also, many logistics firms are building deception systems or honeypots to deceive attackers and gather intelligence.
Regulatory alignment, standards, and cross-corridor cooperation
Cyber rules and standards across jurisdictions remain patchy, especially in the Middle East. However, momentum is building for corridor-wide or regional cybersecurity frameworks in trade, customs, ports, and logistics hubs.
Aramex’s AI-powered customer awareness and IT modernization
In 2025, UAE-based logistics giant Aramex rolled out an AI-generated video campaign to warn customers about scam messages and impersonation attacks—part of a push to strengthen digital trust across its operations.
Simultaneously, at GITEX 2025, Aramex announced a strategic partnership with AWS to migrate its Oceania datacentre to the cloud and modernize its global IT footprint—efforts that inherently bolster security and resilience.
EDGE and UAE Cybersecurity Council for critical infrastructure
At GITEX 2025, EDGE (a UAE advanced-technology group) signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the UAE Cybersecurity Council to cooperate in R&D, intelligence sharing, and incident response specifically across critical sectors—including logistics and transportation infrastructure.
This institutional alignment signals that logistics players may benefit from shared cyber-defense platforms and readiness support.
DP World’s ISO 28000 and C-TPAT supply chain certifications
Dubai’s DP World, a global port and logistics terminal operator, maintains rigorous supply chain security credentials. It is certified under ISO 28000 (security management for the supply chain) across its terminals and is a recognized participant in the U.S. Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT).
While these are not purely “cyber” certifications, they reflect DP World’s long-held emphasis on standardized supply chain security, and the group has in past years responded to cyber events.
The Road Ahead
For transportation and logistics in the Middle East - and globally - the cyber battleground is shifting fast. Digital transformation, autonomous vehicles, robotics, and integrated trade corridors all expand the threat surface. The winners will be those who treat cybersecurity not as a back-end afterthought but as a core element of operational resilience.
Key Imperatives for Logistics Players Today
Elevate cybersecurity to board level, with clear strategy and investment.
Embrace AI and automation in detection and response, while layering Zero Trust and microsegmentation.
Harden IoT, CPS, and vendor systems via threat modeling and secure firmware processes.
Engage industry coalitions and regulatory frameworks to bridge jurisdictional gaps.
Build incident readiness, response playbooks, and cyber resilience into logistical architecture from day one.
Read More: Cybersecurity Critical to Building Reliable Supply Chains Today