"Secure through the Digital Supply Chain - Cybersecurity in Logistics" was the focus on May 15 at the CONFERENCE DAYS 2025. As part of the digital B2B event by Munich's HUSS-VERLAG, Cid Kiefer, managing partner and advisory board member of ICS (Informatik Consulting Systems) GmbH, spoke about the biggest threats, how companies can protect themselves, and the role modern technologies play in this context. Moderator Julia Bönsch, product manager for books at HUSS-VERLAG, underscored the urgency of cybersecurity at the beginning of the session with an audience survey: 39 percent of the viewers answered "Yes" to whether they had ever been victims of a cyberattack, and another 39
percent were aware of incidents in other companies.
"The question is not whether companies will be attacked, but when," emphasized Cid Kiefer. Specifically, logistics has increasingly become the focus of criminal actors in recent years, as a series of attacks demonstrates. According to Kiefer, both IT and OT systems need to be equally monitored, but also - as required by the KRITIS umbrella law - security against increasing physical attacks needs to be ensured. The sabotage attempt in a DHL freight center in Leipzig, for example, falls into this category. According to Kiefer, not only large companies are threatened: "Cybercriminals attack everything they can. They are not much
different from thieves who see open doors and take advantage of the opportunity," says the expert.
According to him, digital attacks occur most frequently through phishing, i.e., through manipulated websites or emails. However, deep fakes, where both video and audio content have been manipulated, or social engineering, targeting employee carelessness, are also conceivable. Once the criminals have gained access to the systems, they can steal sensitive data or encrypt access to systems and make extortionate demands.
Cybersecurity must be a top priority
Among the important protective measures, Kiefer mentions multi-factor authentication, regular backups, employee training, and a recovery plan. He has also summarized his experiences in the brochure
"Cybersecurity in Focus. Prevent, Defend and Act Targeted," published by HUSS-VERLAG. It is specifically aimed at executives, because Kiefer is certain of one thing: "Cybersecurity can only work if it is made a top priority in the company."
The forum "Secure through the Digital Supply Chain" took place as part of the CONFERENCE DAYS 2025. CONFERENCE DAYS 2025 was a digital B2B event from May 12 to 15 for the logistics & intralogistics, truck & bus, and automotive & taxi sectors. The focus is on conveying knowledge on current topics as well as networking. All sessions of the CONFERENCE DAYS can also be accessed as recordings after free
