TMS Cybersecurity Incident Recovery: The 72-Hour Operational Continuity Protocol That Saves Transportation Networks
When Jaguar Land Rover paused production on 1 September 2025, and by 22 September it had caused production lines at Jaguar Land Rover to cease all production for three weeks, with staff told to stay at home, TMS cybersecurity incident response became a boardroom priority overnight. But here's the reality you face: computer systems today are so intrinsic in everything that a transportation (company) does to run its business that the business effectively cannot run without computers. They can't get a new load; they can't take an order from a shipper; they can't dispatch the orders they have; they can't invoice for anything.
This post covers the operational recovery protocols specifically designed for TMS teams during cybersecurity breaches. You won't find vendor marketing speak here - these are tested procedures that keep freight moving when attackers shut down your systems.
The 72-Hour Reality Check: Why TMS Security Incidents Are Different
Unlike ERP or CRM breaches that disrupt internal processes, TMS cybersecurity incidents create cascading failures across your entire supply chain. The cost to the company is estimated at £50 million per week for JLR alone, but the real damage extends far beyond one manufacturer.
When Collins Aerospace's attack began late Friday and quickly crippled passenger services at key hubs like London Heathrow, Brussels, and Berlin, showing how a single supplier's compromise can disrupt air travel on a continental scale. Automated check-in systems failed at several airports – by dawn, London Heathrow had to revert to manual ticketing with thousands of passengers lining up.
Your TMS connects to carriers, customers, warehouse systems, EDI networks, and financial platforms. A breach doesn't just encrypt your files - it severs these connections, leaving you unable to confirm shipments, track freight, or communicate with partners. Sound familiar?
The mathematics of TMS incident recovery differs fundamentally from other enterprise systems. While IT teams focus on data restoration, you need operational continuity within hours, not days. Every TMS platform - whether you're running Cargoson, MercuryGate, Oracle TM, or SAP TM - processes shipment data that becomes worthless if delayed beyond delivery windows.
Hour 0-4: Immediate Triage and Communication
Your first four hours determine whether you face a manageable incident or complete operational collapse. Skip the forensics - those come later. Right now, you need triage protocols that protect critical shipments while containing the breach.
Communication Tree Activation (Hour 0-1)
Activate your pre-built communication matrix immediately. You need three parallel streams:
- Internal escalation to operations, finance, and executive teams
- Customer notifications for time-sensitive shipments
- Carrier alerts and manual dispatch procedures
Critical Shipment Protection (Hour 1-2)
Pull your emergency shipment list - pharmaceuticals, perishables, high-value goods, and contractual commitments with penalty clauses. These cannot wait for system restoration. Create manual tracking sheets and assign dedicated staff to monitor each critical load via phone calls.
Carrier Failover Activation (Hour 2-4)
This is where your backup carrier relationships matter. Contact your primary carriers through alternative channels - personal phone numbers, WhatsApp groups, or dedicated emergency lines. Many carriers maintain manual dispatch capabilities for exactly these situations.
Template for carrier communication: "Security incident affecting our TMS. Critical loads [list load numbers] require immediate manual dispatch. Confirm receipt and provide direct contact for status updates every 2 hours."
Hour 4-24: Assessment and Partial Recovery
Now you can start systematic assessment while maintaining freight operations. Your goal: establish which TMS functions you can restore safely and which require alternative procedures.
Risk-Based Recovery Prioritization
Not all TMS functions carry equal risk. Restore in this order:
- Read-only shipment visibility (tracking without modification capability)
- Carrier rate lookups (static tables, not dynamic API calls)
- Customer communication portals (status updates only)
- Dispatch functionality (after carrier API verification)
- Financial interfaces (invoice generation, last priority)
Data Integrity Checkpoints
Before restoring any TMS function, run these validation queries against your backup data:
- Shipment status consistency (no loads showing both delivered and in-transit)
- Rate table timestamps (confirm latest carrier agreements are active)
- User access logs (identify any unauthorized system changes pre-incident)
Sample SQL for shipment validation: SELECT load_id, status, last_updated FROM shipments WHERE last_updated >= '[incident_date]' AND status IN ('delivered','in_transit') GROUP BY load_id HAVING COUNT(*) > 1;
Hour 24-48: Staged System Restoration
Begin progressive restoration, but never compromise security for speed. According to a 2022 report from transport and logistics industry software provider Magnus Technologies, it takes transportation companies 192 days on average to detect a breach and another 60 days to contain it - but you don't have 60 days to restore operations.
Carrier Reconnection Verification
Before re-enabling EDI or API connections, verify each carrier endpoint independently:
- Test connection with minimal data (ping/heartbeat only)
- Verify SSL certificates haven't been compromised
- Confirm carrier-side security team approval for reconnection
- Enable monitoring on all data exchanges
For cloud-based TMS platforms like Cargoson, nShift, or Transporeon, your restoration depends heavily on the vendor's security response. On-premise systems running Oracle TM or SAP TM require your team to validate every integration point manually.
Progressive Load Volume Testing
Don't flood restored systems with full traffic immediately. Start with 20% of normal transaction volume and monitor for anomalies. Increase by 20% every 6 hours until you reach normal capacity.
The Data Integrity Challenge: What to Check First
TMS platforms process sensitive transportation and customer data that attackers often target for resale or manipulation. Your validation sequence matters because corrupted rate tables can cost thousands per shipment, while incorrect delivery confirmations trigger customer chargebacks.
Critical Data Validation Sequence:
- Rate Table Accuracy - Verify carrier rates match your contracts. Attackers sometimes modify rates to hide fraudulent payments.
- Shipment Status Integrity - Cross-reference delivery confirmations with carrier systems. Inconsistencies may indicate data manipulation.
- Customer Billing Data - Validate invoice amounts against approved rate structures. Financial data corruption often goes undetected for weeks.
- Carrier Credentials - Verify all EDI connections use legitimate carrier credentials. Compromised carrier accounts enable ongoing data exfiltration.
Run these validation scripts against your clean backup data before restoration: SELECT carrier_id, rate_change_date, modified_by FROM carrier_rates WHERE modified_date >= '[7_days_before_incident]' ORDER BY rate_change_date;
Communication Protocols That Work Under Pressure
When systems fail, your communication strategy determines customer retention and carrier relationships. Template-driven responses maintain consistency while your team handles the crisis.
Customer Notification Templates:
Initial Alert (Hour 1):
"We're experiencing technical difficulties affecting shipment tracking. Your freight [reference number] remains secure and on schedule. We'll provide updates every 4 hours until systems are restored. Direct contact: [emergency phone]."
Extended Outage (Hour 12):
"System restoration continues. Your shipment status: [manual verification required]. Expected delivery unchanged. We've activated backup communication channels and increased staff monitoring. Next update: [specific time]."
Regulatory Notification Requirements
Many jurisdictions require timely reporting of data breaches affecting customer transportation data. Prepare these notifications during the first 24 hours, but don't delay operational recovery for legal reviews. The operational damage from delayed recovery often exceeds regulatory penalties.
Post-Incident Hardening: The 48-72 Hour Window
Your 72-hour window represents the critical period for implementing enhanced security measures while operational priorities remain elevated. This is when you have management attention and budget approval for security improvements that normally take months to approve.
Enhanced Access Controls
Implement role-based access restrictions that you've been planning but never had time to execute:
- Separate dispatch access from financial functions
- Require dual authorization for rate table modifications
- Enable session monitoring for all administrative accounts
- Implement IP address restrictions for sensitive functions
Carrier Authentication Upgrades
Standard EDI connections often use static credentials that remain unchanged for years. Upgrade to certificate-based authentication with regular rotation schedules. Most carriers support PKI authentication, but implementation requires coordination between your TMS team and carrier IT departments.
For TMS platforms like Blue Yonder, FreightPOP, and Cargoson, verify which advanced authentication options your current subscription includes. Many enhanced security features require premium licensing tiers.
Monitoring Dashboard Implementation
Configure real-time monitoring for unusual activity patterns:
- Login attempts outside normal business hours
- Rate modifications exceeding threshold percentages
- Bulk data exports from user accounts
- Failed carrier API authentication attempts
Lessons from 2025's Major TMS Security Incidents
The JLR and Collins Aerospace incidents highlight how cyber-attacks on the aviation industry increased by an unprecedented 600% between 2024 and 2025. The report documented 27 ransomware attacks involving 22 different groups targeting various components of the aviation supply chain.
Key lessons for TMS operations teams:
Third-Party Risk Management
JLR had invested heavily in IT modernization, including a £800 million contract for cybersecurity and IT support with a major consulting firm; yet, the breach showed that even well-funded defenses can falter against determined adversaries. Your TMS security is only as strong as your weakest integration partner.
Operational Technology Convergence
The convergence of operational technology and information technology in modern airports creates both opportunities and vulnerabilities. Your TMS isn't just software anymore - it's operational technology that controls physical freight movement.
Social Engineering Vulnerability
Investigations suggest the breach originated from a targeted vishing campaign weeks earlier, when attackers posing as internal staff tricked employees into disclosing credentials. Technical defenses mean nothing when attackers bypass them through human manipulation.
The 72-hour operational continuity window isn't just about recovering from cybersecurity incidents - it's about proving your freight operations can survive when technology fails. Every TMS team needs these protocols documented, tested, and ready for immediate activation.
Your next step: Schedule a tabletop exercise simulating TMS compromise during peak season. Test these procedures with real carrier contacts and customer communication templates. When the actual incident occurs, muscle memory saves hours you don't have.
