FBI confirms two Texas-bound oil tankers hit by hackers who disabled coms and put the engines into overdrive and Iran is possibly to blame

Date:
Fri, 18 Sep 2026 16:20:00 +0000

Description:
The FBI had to board at least one of the vessels to investigate the incident. Iranian media claimed attackers sabotaged engine systems and communications, however no group claimed responsibility.

FULL STORY
Last month, two tankers heading for the
United States were hit by a cyberattack, forcing the FBI and Coast
Guard to board at least one of the vessels and investigate.

The first vessel is called VL Prosperity, which was allegedly transporting
2.3 million barrels of oil. It is a Liberian crude oil tanker, travelling
from Egypts Sidi Kerir Oil Terminal towards Galveston, Texas, where it was supposed to dock on August 24. On its route, lasting roughly 25 days, it passed through the Strait of Gibraltar. Some three days before arriving, it requested assistance from law enforcement, prompting a highly specialized
team of FBI and Coast Guard cyber experts to board. The ship is currently sitting in the Gulf of Mexico.

Iranians (indirectly) claiming responsibility -- On August 21, a highly specialized team comprised of USCG Law Enforcement personnel, USCG Cyber Protection Team members, a vessel inspector, and FBI Cyber Action Team operators embarked the vessel to conduct a comprehensive cyber security boarding and investigation, a US Coast Guard spokesperson told Cybernews .

The spokesperson also said the teams activity is "designed to ensure the integrity of the vessels operational and information technology systems." The Coast Guard apparently saw indications that the vessels network were compromised by foreign cyber actors. It later described the incident as malicious cyber activity.

The second vessel in question is called Kohaku, flying under the flag of the Marshall Islands. It was travelling towards Texas to load liquefied petroleum gas, as per Wall Street Journal , and has been sitting near Malta for the
past couple of days. At press time (Friday morning), it was travelling
through the East Mediterranean Sea.

So far, no threat actors have publicly claimed responsibility for these attacks. However, the Iranian Mehr News Agency allegedly hinted the attack
was a message from Irans Resistance Front to Washington and the broader
Middle East.

The same publication - also the first one to report on the incident and name VL Prosperity as one of the victims - said the attackers infiltrated engine-room systems, reduced the engines cooling flow, increased the engine speed, and disabled the ships fuel and engine-oil tank, all citing an unnamed crew member. Apparently, the ships communications were knocked offline for a day and a half, as well.

Via Cybernews

Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/pro/security/fbi-confirms-two-texas-bound-oil-tanker s-hit-by-hackers-who-disabled-coms-and-put-the-engines-into-overdrive-and-iran -is-possibly-to-blame

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* Origin: capitolcityonline.net * KY, USA (1:2320/107)