07 December 2023

1000 ships impacted by a ransomware attack on maritime software supplier DNV

According to a report dated January 17, 2023, approximately 1,000 ships were affected by a ransomware attack against the Norwegian company DNV, a leading provider of maritime software. DNV GL provides solutions and services throughout the life cycle of any vessel, from design and engineering to risk assessment and vessel management. The ransomware attack took place on the evening of 7 January and in response to the incident, the company shut down the computer servers connected to the ShipManager system operated by the company. DNV reported that there is no indication that any of its software or data was affected by the security incident. According to the notice, 70 customers were impacted but the family of the ransomware was not disclosed. The impact of this attack appears to be severe. Indeed, a large number of merchant ships have been impacted by the consequences of the attack. Indeed, DNV experts have shut down the ShipManager computer servers in response to the incident. All users can still use the on-board and offline functionality of ShipManager.