Summary Inside Job: How a Hacker Helped Cocaine Traffickers Infiltrate Europe’s Biggest Ports - OCCRP www.occrp.org
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One Line
Dutch hacker assists cocaine traffickers in breaching European ports while authorities enhance security measures.
Slides
Slide Presentation (13 slides)
Key Points
- A Dutch hacker was hired by drug traffickers to penetrate port IT networks at the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp.
- The hacker accessed container management systems, recommended targets for hiding contraband, and helped smugglers pick up their goods on the receiving end.
- The hacker used malware inserted into a port computer by a bribed port employee in one of the hacks.
- The increasing digitalization and automation of shipping logistics has made smuggling easier, requiring only a single corrupt employee and a truck driver.
- PIN code fraud, where traffickers illegally access PIN codes of containers, has become a common method for drug smuggling.
- The hacker charged hundreds of thousands of euros for his services and his hacking methods were relatively basic.
- Europes commercial ports have become top entry points for cocaine smuggling, with record amounts of cocaine seized in Rotterdam and Antwerp ports.
- Authorities are working to tighten security and limit access to data that can be exploited by traffickers.
Summaries
23 word summary
Dutch hacker Davy de Valk helped cocaine traffickers infiltrate Europe's ports by hacking into container management systems. Port authorities are improving security measures.
59 word summary
Dutch hacker Davy de Valk played a crucial role in facilitating cocaine trafficking through Europe's commercial ports. By infiltrating the IT networks of the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp, he gained access to container management systems, allowing him to identify ideal containers for hiding contraband. Port authorities are now working to improve security measures to combat these smuggling operations.
169 word summary
Europes commercial ports are now major entry points for cocaine trafficking, and a Dutch hacker named Davy de Valk played a crucial role in facilitating this operation. De Valk infiltrated the IT networks of the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp, gaining access to the container management systems. This allowed him to identify the best shipping containers for hiding contraband and provide valuable data to cocaine traffickers. The increase in digitalization and automation in shipping logistics has provided new opportunities for drug traffickers to exploit vulnerabilities in port systems. PIN code fraud has become a common method used by criminals to access shipping containers, with traffickers illegally obtaining PIN codes through corrupt port employees or hacking. De Valk's hacking activities extended to the Antwerp terminal as well, where he inserted malware using a USB stick. European police believe that de Valk was part of a broader network of hackers involved in PIN code fraud. Port authorities and shipping companies are working to improve security measures to combat these smuggling operations.
417 word summary
Europes commercial ports have become major entry points for cocaine trafficking, with record amounts of the drug flowing in. A Dutch hacker named Davy de Valk played a crucial role in facilitating this smuggling operation by infiltrating the IT networks of the ports of Rotterdam and Antwerp. He gained access to the ports' container management systems, allowing him to identify the best shipping containers for hiding contraband and provide valuable data to cocaine traffickers. De Valk also used his access to help smugglers retrieve their goods on the receiving end. One of his hacks was made possible by a bribed port employee in Antwerp who inserted malware into a port computer using a USB stick.
The increase in digitalization and automation in shipping logistics has provided new opportunities for drug traffickers to exploit vulnerabilities in port systems. With the assistance of hackers like de Valk, criminal groups only need to corrupt a single employee and a truck driver to move their goods freely through the ports. De Valk's hacking methods were relatively basic and could have been easily detected if the port systems were properly set up.
Europol reports reveal that PIN code fraud has become a common method used by criminals to access shipping containers. Traffickers illegally obtain PIN codes through corrupt port employees or hacking, allowing them to impersonate transport companies and pick up cargo undetected. This method is much less risky than other smuggling techniques and has enabled the trafficking of at least 200 metric tons of cocaine through Rotterdam and Antwerp since 2018. Criminals have paid between 20,000 and 300,000 euros for PIN codes.
De Valk's hacking activities were not limited to Rotterdam. He also targeted the Antwerp terminal, the second busiest port in Europe. With the help of an office clerk at the port, de Valk inserted malware into a port computer using a USB stick. This gave him access to valuable data about container movement and allowed him to generate PIN numbers himself. De Valk's activities in Antwerp continued until at least April 2021.
The full extent of de Valk's hacking activities and the impact on cocaine trafficking is not known. However, European police believe that he was part of a broader network of hackers involved in PIN code fraud. The scale of this fraud is likely underreported, and it may be occurring at other European ports as well. Port authorities and shipping companies are working to improve security measures and limit access to sensitive data to combat these smuggling operations.