So what is operational security? Operational security focuses on preventing outsiders from inferring how an organization operates by observing behaviors, communications, and publicly listed information. Attackers will do heavy reconnaissance on an organization before an attempt because getting caught could cost them a lengthy prison sentence compared to a few weeks or even months of observation.
Even things that may seem trivial, such as job postings containing the exact technologies an organization uses, could be how an attacker finds their potential opening. Operational security gives us an opportunity to assess our processes, and their governing controls to identify any weak points that expose more information than necessary or create opportunities for exploitation. We don’t want to hinder our own workflows to build a steel cage, but we also can’t let unnecessary information slip through the cracks.
Operational Security Conditions
Patterns are an inevitability for fleets to operate efficiently. We may have a specific team work on certain days, scheduled deliveries, or use the same route for familiar locations. As operations expand and coordination extends beyond the immediate organization, these patterns are further reinforced through routine handoffs, shared timelines, and collaboration with vendors in day-to-day operations. A fleet owner will see this as optimization, while a threat actor will see this as an opportunity.
Repeated processes aren’t the problem; every operation will need and have them. The problem arises when an attacker can structure their entire plan around them and take advantage of gaps in the controls around those processes. This is why fleets need the ability to track and detect any deviation from standard processes in real time.
If everything normally flows through the same chain of authorization and one day we receive a release request from a new contact at an abnormal time, this deviation should immediately be flagged and reviewed.
Why the Conditions Matter in Freight Fraud
Cyber-enabled freight fraud attempts aren’t random occurrences; they rely on knowing when systems, teams, or processes will provide the best opportunity window. Attackers target our most human aspects, they make a last minute call on a Friday night and try to pressure our teams to deviate from standard processes by saying they’re in a rush.
When an attacker can predict the moments of pressure or fatigue, it reduces the uncertainty they must manage. Once this uncertainty drops to a level the attacker is comfortable with, they strike.
Reducing Freight Fraud Requires Operational Insight
Operational security isn’t simply about hiding how a business works or slowing down the workflows we need to keep our fleets running. It is about asking ourselves which operational details need to be public versus which ones that should be internal, and how security should be built into the way those processes are designed and governed.
By understanding how predictable our usual business operations appear from an outsider’s perspective, it empowers us to make informed decisions about what information we share, how we communicate any changes, and how we manage our relationship between teams and vendors.
Operational security isn’t a replacement for cybersecurity controls or physical security, instead it enhances them by helping ensure avoidable signals aren’t leaving any breadcrumbs for potential attackers and that established processes and procedures cannot be bypassed or manipulated.
To learn more about the relationship between operational security, physical security, and cyber security, access the full NMFTA Cybersecurity Cargo Crime Reduction Framework resource.
