Cyber attack fallout hits Auckland port

Ports of Auckland says a massive ransomware attack that affected international shipping giant Maersk is having an affect on the port’s operations.

Spokesman Matt Ball said the attack was having a big impact on Maersk’s operations globally ‘‘because they have had to close down their entire global system to prevent further exposure to the ransomware’’.

That was making operations harder, but was not yet having an impact on the flow of goods into the shops, he said.

‘‘Until this is resolved Maersk have no means of receiving load lists, discharge lists, or instructions for cargo release.

‘‘They have even closed down their email servers and are communicating via Gmail. The first vessel to be impacted by this is calling on Friday.’’

Ball believed some other ports would be harder hit, but no other ports contacted by Fairfax Media yesterday have so far admitted any impact.

Ports of Auckland had created a cyber-security role for exactly this sort of situation, Ball said.

Kotahi Logistics, which manages shipping logistics for Fonterra, said it was due to meet with Maersk yesterday.

Maersk Line New Zealand’s Auckland office could not be reached for comment. The international company’s website was offline yesterday.

New Zealand’s government cybersafety authority, the Computer Emergency Response Team (Cert NZ), continued to report at 3.40pm that it had not received any reports of infections from the ransomware – dubbed both Petya and Notpetya – that hit a swag of multinational firms hard overnight.

Food giant Mondelez International, which owns Cadbury, is among other multinational companies hit by the ransomware overseas. It has reportedly shut down all its IT systems, affecting the Cadbury factory it operates in Hobart, Australia.

The company has not responded to requests for information on whether its Dunedin factory, slated for closure next year, has also been impacted.

Other international businesses that have offices in New Zealand and are reported to have been impacted overseas include law firm PLA Piper and advertising firm WPP.

PLA Piper did not confirm whether its New Zealand office had been impacted yesterday.

Symantec cyber-security manager Nick Savvides said the ransomware attack was similar to the Wannacry attack that affected Windows computer users last month.

The criminals behind that attack have demanded a US$300 (NZ$410) ransom in virtual currency Bitcoin from victims.

The Telegraph reported that Ukraine’s government departments, its central bank and a state-run aircraft manufacturer, as well as the Kiev airport and metro network, were all halted by the cyber attack.

Ukraine was also one of the countries that was hardest hit last month by Wannacry ransomware which infected computer systems in 150 countries, possibly including New Zealand.

Cert NZ said last month it had reports from New Zealand organisations that believed they had been compromised by Wannacry, but never subsequently confirmed any incidents.

It advised businesses and individuals to regularly update and back up their IT systems and has issued more specific advice on the Notpetya attack.