AI-assisted social engineering, automated attack frameworks, and supply-chain compromise have emerged as the defining cybersecurity trends for the year ahead, according to the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA).
In its 2026 Transportation Industry Cybersecurity Trends Report, which assesses cyber threats, adversary tactics, and resilience trends shaping the future of freight and logistics in North America, NMFTA noted several key shifts for the coming year. The biggest takeaway from the report is the critical need for transportation companies to integrate cybersecurity with operational and physical security to reduce risks, rather than treating each in isolation as emerging technologies strengthen the connection between all three.
“By the end of 2025, the transportation sector was both benefiting from and being reshaped by emerging technologies that redefine the speed, precision and complexity of cyberthreats,” the report noted. “Artificial intelligence, automation and the integration of smart systems across the transportation ecosystem are simultaneously enabling improved efficiencies and creating new attack vectors for cybercriminals.”
These are some of the key cyber trends for 2026:
• AI-augmented attack vectors that evade traditional defenses and accelerate compromise.
• Automated attack orchestration that outpaces manual detection and response.
• Weaponization of legitimate access tools and APIs, expanding threat entry points.
• Supply-chain trust exploitation through third-party software-as-a-service (SaaS) and integration dependencies.
• Regulatory shifts influencing operational accountability and compliance planning.
While a connected environment has many benefits, including operational efficiency gains, it has expanded the threat landscape beyond back-office systems to physical operations and cargo integrity, the report noted. The increased adoption of AI has also boosted operational efficiency while introducing significant new security challenges.
“Entering 2026, the North American transportation sector faces the most complex and dynamic cyber threat environment in its history,” the report said. “The convergence of traditional cargo theft, cybercrime and operational disruptions has transformed trucking cybersecurity from an IT issue into a full-spectrum operational resilience challenge.”
From one entity to the entire supply chain
The report said protecting data, applications and connected systems continues to be a core cybersecurity concern as fleets, brokers and third-party platform providers accelerate their migration to cloud platforms. Ransomware and data extortion groups are adapting by exploiting these same digital ecosystems, creating not only financial disruption, but physical disruption as well.
Cybersecurity frameworks have not traditionally addressed the physical assets that drive the transportation industry, though they remain a significant attack surface—especially as more technology is installed directly on vehicles. According to the report, telematics devices as a threat vector remained a consistent theme throughout 2025. NMFTA noted that compromised telematics units could serve as a bridge into broader enterprise systems, particularly where weak API security or unsecure cloud integrations exist.
This vulnerability can directly assist bad actors in stealing cargo. “Digital compromise is often the prelude to physical loss,” said Artie Crawford, NMFTA Director of Cybersecurity.
CargoNet reported that cargo theft claims reached $111.88 million in the third quarter of 2025, a figure expected to continue climbing in 2026 as criminals employ more advanced techniques.
The report noted that the rise in cargo crime was accompanied by a noticeable increase in the sophistication of coordinated operations. A prevalent technique is GPS spoofing, where criminals manipulate the location data of trucks or trailers to conceal unauthorized route changes or mislead tracking systems. These attacks are often used alongside social engineering techniques, such as phishing, to exploit call centers, dispatch operations, or staff involved in shipment verification.
Social engineering remained the primary cause of security incidents in 2025. This method can be used to infiltrate the entire supply chain, as cybercriminals gain access via one network connected to broader industry systems.
“The transportation sector’s operational interconnectivity, while improving speed and efficiency, also increases the ‘blast radius’ of a single cyberattack due to elevated concentration risk across the industry,” the report said.
NMFTA's report addresses carriers, shippers, third-party logistics providers, brokers, technology partners and vendors to help them prepare for 2026 cybersecurity predictions.
No stone can be left unturned.
“Effective preparedness requires the integration of cybersecurity into every layer of the business,” the report said.
