The Dangerous Tech Found Aboard ‘Dark-Fleet’ Tankers Captured by the U.S.

Source: The Wall Street Journal

As tankers ferry sanctioned oil from Iran and Russia around the world, their criminal owners are using a mishmash of digital tools to control crews and cover their tracks. The practices, discovered by U.S. Coast Guard cyber teams, have left ships in the so-called dark fleet exposed to bad actors who could use those weaknesses to cause an explosion or oil spill. The Coast Guard’s discoveries, which haven’t been previously reported, paint a picture of criminal bosses skimping on physical-safety measures while relying on information systems that could be exploited or hacked, making some tankers far more dangerous to the environment, to other mariners and to the crews on board than previously known. Full Story