"Safe through the digital supply chain – Cybersecurity in logistics" was the theme on May 15 at CONFERENCE DAYS 2025. As part of the digital B2B event organized by Munich's HUSS-VERLAG, Cid Kiefer, managing partner and advisor of ICS (Informatik Consulting Systems) GmbH, spoke about the biggest threats, how companies can protect themselves, and the role modern technologies play in this. Moderator Julia Bönsch, product manager at HUSS-VERLAG, emphasized the urgency of cybersecurity at the beginning of the session with an audience survey: 39 percent of viewers answered "Yes" to whether they had ever been victims of a cyberattack, while another 39 percent were aware of
incidents from other companies.
"The question is not if companies will be attacked, but when," Cid Kiefer also emphasized. Specifically, logistics has increasingly become a target for criminal actors in recent years, as a series of attacks demonstrate. According to Kiefer, it is important to keep an eye on both IT and OT systems equally, but also – as required by the KRITIS framework law – to protect against increasing physical attacks. The sabotage attempt at a DHL cargo center in Leipzig, for example, falls into this category. According to Kiefer, it's not just large companies that are threatened: "Cybercriminals attack anything they can. They don't
differ much from thieves who see open doors and seize the opportunity," the expert said.
According to him, digital attacks most frequently occur through phishing, via manipulated websites or emails. However, deep fakes, where both video and audio content are manipulated, or social engineering, which targets employee carelessness, are also conceivable. Once criminals gain access to the systems, they can steal sensitive data or encrypt access to systems and make extortionate demands.
Cybersecurity must be a top priority
As important protective measures, Kiefer cites, among other things, 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. This is specifically aimed at executives, as Kiefer is certain of one thing: "Cybersecurity can only work if it's made a top priority within the company."
The forum "Safe through the digital supply chain" took place as part of CONFERENCE DAYS 2025. CONFERENCE DAYS 2025 was a digital B2B event from May 12 to 15 for the logistics & intralogistics, truck & bus, as well as automotive & taxi industries. The focus was on imparting knowledge on current topics and networking. All sessions of CONFERENCE DAYS are also available as recordings after a free registration
