Hackers Accessed the Propulsion System of a Supertanker Off Texas
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Investigators from the FBI and the US Coast Guard found evidence that hackers accessed the propulsion system of a supertanker, the VL Prosperity, as it approached the coast of Texas during the summer of 2026. According to US officials cited by Bloomberg, the access was temporary and, so far, no operational disruptions, vessel instability, danger to the crew, or environmental impact have been reported.
The boarding in August
The boarding took place on August 21, 2026, when Coast Guard enforcement personnel, the Cyber Protection Team (CPT), a vessel inspector, and the FBI's Cyber Action Team (CAT) boarded the 333-meter vessel in the Atlantic. The VL Prosperity was three weeks away from the Egyptian terminal of Sidi Kerir, bound for Galveston carrying about 2.3 million barrels of crude oil, and investigators spent four days assessing the ship's systems alongside the crew and the operator.
Three days later, on August 24, a joint team also boarded the 227-meter LNG carrier Kohaku in the Gulf of Mexico, after a suspicious and possibly related attack was detected. Bloomberg had previously reported that the Coast Guard and the FBI boarded the VL Prosperity after the vessel lost communications and signs emerged that its network had been compromised.
By September 2026, US government agencies were monitoring cyber threats against nearly 20 vessels worldwide, and the Coast Guard requested advance notice if any of those ships planned to enter a US port. Specialists cited by Bloomberg, such as Alex Soukhanov, of True North Group, and Svante Einarsson, of DNV, noted that confirmed hacks of vessel systems are rare but can have an enormous impact, and that loss of function due to a cyberattack would be the worst-case scenario for a vessel carrying hazardous materials.
Regulation and unconfirmed reports
Iranian state media alleged that the attackers managed to take control of the VL Prosperity's propulsion, navigation, and cargo systems, but those claims were not confirmed by US authorities, who only reported malicious cyber activity without physical damage or environmental impact. The episode coincides with the entry into force of cybersecurity requirements under the US Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA), in effect since July 2025, which set deadlines through July 2027 for operators to designate a Cybersecurity Officer and complete a risk assessment.
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