The U.S. Coast Guard and Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) agents began investigating oil tankers that were heading towards the U.S. Gulf Coast last month. These actions were taken following reports of suspicious cyber attacks on these tankers that occurred while passing through the Strait of Gibraltar between Morocco and Spain.
Details of the Investigations
The U.S. Navy has announced that a team, which included FBI agents, visited an oil tanker in August before its entry into a U.S. port and examined the systems of the vessel. In this regard, the Navy stated that "currently there are no reports of operational disruptions, vessel instability, physical danger to the crew, or environmental impacts."
Two tankers are currently under investigation, likely due to cyber attacks that occurred in early August while passing through the Strait of Gibraltar towards the U.S. Gulf Coast. These investigations aim to ensure the integrity of the operational and information technology systems of the vessels, as there are indications of breaches into the networks of both tankers.
Concerns About Security and Regional Impacts
Cyber action teams examined two foreign vessels on August 21 and 24. One of these vessels was carrying oil and the other was carrying liquefied natural gas (LNG). These incidents have raised concerns that Iran or other U.S. adversaries may be attempting to disrupt operations at a key chokepoint or U.S. port, escalating tensions in the Middle East.
U.S. officials have not yet announced who might be behind these cyber attacks. However, concerns are growing that malicious actors may be seeking to escalate tensions in the Middle East. This situation poses serious challenges for energy supply security and the stability of global oil and gas markets.
