FBI and Coast Guard boarded US-bound oil tankers after signs the ships were hit with cyberattacks

FBI and Coast Guard personnel boarded two oil tankers en route to the United States following indications that the vessels' networks had been targeted by cyberattacks, according to officials. The boardings occurred on August 21 and August 24 in the Gulf of Mexico, following preliminary investigations into reported network breaches at two foreign-flagged commercial oil tankers.

A team of cyber experts from multiple agencies boarded the ships to assess potential damage to the vessels' operational and information technology systems. Officials stated that there were currently no reports of operational disruptions, vessel instability, physical danger to crew members, or environmental impacts. Both ships' crews had cooperated with the investigators. The statement did not attribute the breaches to a specific culprit.