Hackers are infiltrating trucking and freight companies in a scheme to steal and sell cargo shipments, a growing campaign that could end up costing companies and consumers billions of dollars, according to new cybersecurity research.

Sunnyvale, California-based Proofpoint Inc. said it has “high confidence” that the hackers are working with organized crime groups to pull off the cargo thefts. The attackers are particularly targeting trucking carriers and freight brokers, seeking to infect their computer networks with tools that provide remote access, with the ultimate goal of hijacking cargo, according to the research.

The stolen cargo is likely sold online or shipped overseas, according to the report.

“It has this sort of ripple effect across the entire ecosystem, from the ships that de

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