NMFTA Cybersecurity Conference Keynote Speaker Announced: White House’s Office of the National Cyber Director’s Stephen Viña

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Oct. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. (NMFTA)™ is pleased to announce that Stephen Viña, with the White House’s Office of the National Cyber Director, will be the keynote speaker for this year’s Cybersecurity Conference set for October 27-29 in Cleveland, OH.

The conference will be held during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month and is North America’s only cybersecurity event for the trucking industry.

The conference is devoted to protecting both the physical rolling assets and the back-office systems. Less-than-truckload (LTL) and truckload carriers, third-party logistics providers (3PLs), shippers, government, and academia are encouraged to register. The price to attend is $249 for NMFTA members; $349 for nonmembers.

While at the conference, attendees will have a unique opportunity to learn, network, and gain valuable insights from leading cybersecurity experts and peers. In addition, attendees can:

• Participate in a Business Continuity Tabletop Exercise and work as a team to discuss roles and responses through one or more example scenarios.
• Sharpen their skills and enhance their knowledge through workshops, panel discussions, and featured presentations.
• Stay informed about emerging threats and vulnerabilities.
• Gain insight into the steps one must take once a cyberattack has occurred and how to achieve the path to resiliency.

The event will also feature two fireside chats, which will allow attendees to hear real talks, from real fleets, who have fought back against real hacks. Industry experts from Estes Express Lines, Ward Transport & Logistics Corp., DAT Freight & Analytics, Werner Enterprises, and XPO will lead the discussions alongside NMFTA experts.

• Fireside Chat: Recent Hacks, Lessons Learned, and the New Reality – Industry experts will share first-hand experiences and offer practical advice for trucking executives navigating the complex world of cybersecurity and the new realities of leading in this new era of building a cyber-resilient operation.
• Fireside Chat: Present and Future of Cybersecurity in Trucking – Attendees will gain insight into innovative strategies that protect businesses from cyber threats but also enhance the customer experience which is critical to standing out from others in the industry.

“Approximately 1 in 4 of all cybersecurity attacks target the transport and distribution industries,” said Joe Ohr, chief operating officer for NMFTA. “The biggest threat to the trucking industry isn’t from roads traveled or soft markets, but from cyberspace. With rapid tech adoption, vulnerabilities are growing. It’s crucial for carriers, shippers, and 3PLs to prioritize efficient and effective cybersecurity measures to mitigate these risks.”

This March, a ransomware attack on Ward Transport & Logistics Corp. compromised over 500 gigabytes of data, crippling its network and halting operations. Last year, Bison Transport, Estes Express Lines, Forward Air Corporation, Marten Transport, and the Port of Los Angeles also faced disruptions as a result of a cyberattack. With the average ransomware attack costing companies $5 million, and some reaching up to $1.1 billion, proactive cybersecurity measures are no longer optional—they’re essential.  

Industry suppliers who serve the trucking industry are welcome to attend to have direct time with executive-level decision makers after reserving a sponsorship. Media representatives can attend at no charge. To learn more, contact Marli Hall, director of public relations for NMFTA, at marli.hall@nmfta.org.

The hotel room block will close this Friday (October 4).

About NMFTA
Since 1956, the National Motor Freight Traffic Association, Inc. (NMFTA) has represented the interests of the less-than-truckload (LTL) motor carrier industry. The NMFTA publishes the National Motor Freight Classification^® (NMFC^®), assigns Standard Carrier Alpha Codes^™ (SCAC^®), assigns Standard Point Location Codes^® (SPLC^™), develops digital standards for the LTL industry, and safeguards those digital standards through cybersecurity research, dissemination of studies, and education. Membership in NMFTA is available to all for-hire interstate and intrastate motor carriers. For more information, visit www.nmfta.org.

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