30.7.2025 | Technology

With logistics firms increasingly in the firing line of cyber criminals – and big-name breaches hitting the likes of Knights of Old, M&S and the Co-op – Suffolk and Exeter-based software provider Fargo Systems is urging hauliers and forwarders to take action before the damage is done.

Recent data from the UK Government’s 2025 Cyber Security Breaches Survey revealed that 43% of UK businesses—approximately 612,000 firms—suffered a cyber breach in the past 12 months, with nearly 1 in 5 falling victim to actual cybercrime. Alarmingly, ransomware attacks have doubled year-on-year, now affecting around 1% of all businesses, roughly 19,000 firms. Phishing remains the most common attack method.

For the logistics and transport sector—an industry heavily reliant on interconnected systems and time-sensitive data—the risk is even greater. With ports, hauliers, and forwarders increasingly targeted, business continuity depends on robust cyber security.

As creators of the widely used TopsTMS® and CYMAN transport management systems, Fargo Systems plays a key role in the movement of containerised freight throughout the UK, Europe and globally. But while its hosted software solutions benefit from regular cyber protection, many users are still running these platforms on internal servers that lack the same safeguards.

“We test our cloud network security every quarter, using professional penetration testing,” says Jim Slade, Customer Success Director at Fargo Systems.

“We know that many customers who self-host simply don’t have the same controls in place. That’s why we’re encouraging all customers to review their hosting setup and speak with us about moving to our secure cloud environment.”

Fargo’s cloud-hosted platform includes:

• Quarterly penetration testing
• Built on the latest Microsoft Azure technology
• Fully live Single Sign-On (SSO) for simplified secure login
• Ongoing threat detection and proactive updates

With SSO now widely used across Fargo’s systems, customers benefit from centralised account control and seamless authentication, making it easier to manage access while strengthening defences.

“Cyber security used to be an IT department issue. Now, it’s a boardroom responsibility,” adds Jim.

“The more reliant the industry becomes on real-time data, the more crucial it is that systems are protected, monitored and regularly tested.”

As cyber threats increase in frequency and sophistication, forward-thinking logistics companies are already transitioning to managed cloud environments to mitigate risk and protect their operations.

Fargo Systems would welcome conversations with any haulier looking to review their current transport management systems and cyber security protocols. Whether you’re hosting in-house or considering a move to a more resilient, cloud-based setup, now is the time to act.