Breaking: Cyber Attack hits Woods Hole Steamship Authority – ferries interrupted

BREAKING: The Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority has been hit with a ransomware attack that is affecting operations.

Travelers (at least) today may experience delays in travel both to and from Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard.

The Steamship Authority says a team of IT professionals is currently assessing the impact of the attack.

Their website is down as of this publication.

Reprinted from the Martha’s Vineyard Times:

The Steamship Authority is the target of a ransomware attack, which has thrown the ferry service’s operations into “bedlam,” according to a source. The attack has knocked out the SSA’s website and reservation system.
In an emailed statement, Sean Driscoll, SSA spokesman, wrote that the SSA “has been the target of a ransomware attack that is affecting operations as of Wednesday morning. As a result, customers traveling with us today may experience delays. A team of IT professionals is currently assessing the impact of the attack. Additional information will be provided upon completion of the initial assessment.”

The email from Driscoll came from an unfamiliar address. He told The Times in a text message, the SSA’s email system is down.

This morning, as customers boarded, a purser was unable to scan cards, and vehicles were not issued a boarding pass.

In an update at 12:30 pm, Driscoll wrote that the issue remains unresolved and under investigation. “The Authority continues to work internally, as well as with federal, state, and local authorities, to determine the extent and origin of the attack,” he wrote. “There is no impact to the safety of vessel operations, as the issue does not affect radar or GPS functionality. Scheduled trips to both islands continue to operate, although customers may experience some delays during the ticketing process.”

An alert on the SSA’s reservation page alerts customers to the problem. “Unfortunately, we have run into an error we were unable to recover from,” the alert states. “We’ve been notified of the error, and will look into it right away. In the meantime, feel free to hit back and try again.”

But that will only result in futility.

“Customers are currently unable to book or change vehicle reservations online or by phone. Existing vehicle reservations will be honored at Authority terminals, and rescheduling and cancellation fees will be waived,” Driscoll wrote. “If traveling with the Authority today, cash is preferred for all transactions. The availability of credit card systems to process vehicle and passenger tickets, as well as parking lot fees, is limited. Additional information will be provided as it becomes available.”

Gwyneth Wallace commented on The Times Facebook post, saying, “Scary! I’m in standby and had to pay cash — couldn’t process a credit card. That being said, boats, loading etc., is still running smoothly.”

According to Petty Officer Amanda Wyrick, a spokesperson for the U.S. Coast Guard, the agency has been briefed on the situation. The Massachusetts State Police Cybersecurity unit is taking the lead in the case, she said.

According to the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, “ransomware is an ever-evolving form of malware designed to encrypt files on a device, rendering any files and the systems that rely on them unusable,” usually with a demand of some form of payment. The attacker may threaten to leak or sell stolen data if the ransom isn’t paid. Ransomware attacks have been an increasing cyber threat. According to the Guardian, the Colonial Pipeline was hit by a ransomware attack by the East European group called Darkside in May, and the collective hacker group called REevil hit the world’s largest meatpacking company, JBS, with a ransomware attack on Wednesday, according to CNBC. The recent attacks with societal consequences, such as the Colonial Pipeline and the oil shortage, have come with calls to improve cybersecurity measures by President Joe Biden.

Adam Darack, an information technology specialist on the Island, said ransomware is scary stuff. “Technology is a double-edged sword. It’s scary, especially with major transportation hubs, like the SSA,” he said. “Everybody is a targe, for sure. Certain targets are juicier than others, unfortunately. This is the type of stuff that keeps us up at night.”

In a tweet, state Rep. Dylan Fernandes, D-Falmouth, wrote that he’s been in touch with the State Police and SSA, and is monitoring the situation. “The boats are not impacted and passenger service remains as scheduled, but may experience delays,” he wrote.

Updated to include more information.

Reprinted from the Nantucket Inquirer and Gazette:

Steamship Authority target of ransomware attack

Posted Wednesday, June 2, 2021 10:11 am By Joshua Balling

(June 2, 2021) The Steamship Authority is the target of a ransomware attack that is affecting current boat-line operations, spokesman Sean Driscoll said Wednesday morning.

“As a result, customers traveling with us today may experience delays. A team of IT professionals is currently assessing the impact of the attack. Additional information will be provided upon completion of the initial assessment,” Driscoll said.

This is a developing story.