As Attacks Grow, the Port of LA Partners with IBM on Its Cyber Defense Center

Rachel Uranga

Rachel Uranga is dot.LA's Managing Editor, News. She is a former Mexico-based market correspondent at Reuters and has worked for several Southern California news outlets, including the Los Angeles Business Journal and the Los Angeles Daily News. She has covered everything from IPOs to immigration. Uranga is a graduate of the Columbia School of Journalism and California State University Northridge. A Los Angeles native, she lives with her husband, son and their felines.

As Attacks Grow, the Port of LA Partners with IBM on Its Cyber Defense Center
Photo by Shaah Shahidh on Unsplash

Los Angeles is home to the nation's busiest port, moving $276 billion worth of goods last year. It's a big target for hackers as shippers increasingly rely on automated systems.

Every month there's about 40 million attempted cyber security breaches, port officials said. That includes everything from spam to malware fishing to more serious incidents that could halt shipments for much of the West Coast.


Back in 2017, a ransomware attack on Danish shipping giant A.P. Moller-Maersk, which has the region's largest terminal at the port, cost the company an estimated $300 million and slowed vessel movements on terminals for about two days in Los Angeles.

It's those kinds of incidents that officials are trying to stop before they happen.

Six years ago the port created a cybersecurity center — the nation's first — and on Monday announced it entered into a three-year, $6.8 million agreement with IBM to install, operate and maintain what it's calling a "Port Cyber Resilience Center" to identify malicious cyber attacks that can interrupt the flow of cargo.

The initiative has become especially pressing as the port pushes toward digitizing information about cargo movements and terminals automate their operations, bringing in waterfront robots to stack shipments.

"Automation and digital transformation is what's driving a lot of this," said Kevin Albano, a partner at IBM Security X-Force, the cybersecurity services arm.

Cybersecurity attacks on the maritime industry are up about 400% since the pandemic began, according to a report from Alianz.

Most of the attacks come through email, Albano said.

"It's pretty tough to defend against. Actors are getting better at knowing their targets" he said, adding that phishing emails can look like they really come from someone within the organization. "There's a lot of information out there about individuals from previous breaches."

About a third of ransomware engagements that IBM Security X-Force has responded to in 2020 came from Asia and North America.

The center was created to function as an alert system to link the port — which leases its land to international shipping companies — to the dozens of companies that rely on it. Those include shipping operators and logistics businesses that ferry truckloads of goods to major retailers from Amazon to Target to Home Depot.

Albano said information about security and intelligence will be shared on a closed network that includes 20 port partners and will eventually extend to about 100 in the coming years.

The Maersk attack, called NotPetya, was eventually traced to a compromised tax-accounting software widely used in Ukraine. NotPetya exploited a vulnerability in unpatched Microsoft Windows operating systems. The damaging attack struck thousands of companies around the world including U.S. pharmaceutical-maker Merck.

A former White House security official told Wired in 2018 the attack cost a total of more than $10 billion and pinned the blame on Russia.

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🍵☕️Top 6 Coffee Alternatives for Enhanced Productivity

In the fast-paced world of startups and venture capital in Los Angeles, maintaining peak productivity is essential for founders and investors alike. As the hustle intensifies, many are seeking alternatives to traditional coffee that not only provide a sustained energy boost but also support overall health and well-being. The following list highlights some of the top-rated coffee alternatives that can enhance focus and productivity while minimizing the adverse effects of caffeine. These options incorporate adaptogens, superfoods, and gut-friendly ingredients, making them ideal choices for those looking to optimize their performance without the afternoon crash.


Matcha

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Yerba Mate

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Yerba mate is a traditional South American herbal tea made from the leaves of the Ilex paraguariensis plant. It contains about 40-80 mg of caffeine per serving, which is less than a standard cup of coffee but enough to provide a gentle energy boost. Yerba mate is rich in antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals, and users often report feeling energized without the jitters or crashes associated with coffee. It has a unique, slightly bitter flavor and can be enjoyed in various forms, including loose-leaf tea and pre-brewed options.

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LA’s Data Center Supply Crunch

🔦 Spotlight

Happy Friday Los Angeles!

The Los Angeles data center market is experiencing a significant supply crunch, ranking 12th in growth among top markets since 2020 with only 265 megawatts of colocation inventory (data centers where businesses rent space to store their computing hardware and servers). Despite this, demand is surging, driven by AI, cloud, and hyperscaler needs, with AI accounting for 20% of new data center demand nationally. This scarcity is creating a highly competitive environment, with vacancy rates at a record low 3% and asking rents rising 13-37% year-over-year. For Los Angeles, this presents both challenges and opportunities in the big picture. The city's strategic position as a global entertainment hub and its connectivity to international markets through subsea cables make it an attractive location for data centers. However, the limited inventory and rising costs could potentially hinder growth and innovation in the tech sector. To maintain its competitive edge, Los Angeles will need to address these constraints through new developments, such as GI Partners' 16 MW addition at One Wilshire, and by focusing on high-connectivity, high-power capacity submarkets. The city's tech community should prepare for a landscape of increased competition for quality data center space, higher costs, and the need for innovative solutions to meet growing demand, particularly in AI and cloud services. While Los Angeles faces a challenging data center supply crunch, its strategic advantages and ongoing developments offer a promising path forward.


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LA Companies

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    🌐Decentralizing Data & Vacations: Sony's Web3 Leap and Sensible Weather's KOA Partnership

    🔦 Spotlight

    Happy Long Weekend Los Angeles!

    Sony Group is making a significant push into the blockchain and Web3 space, leveraging its Sony Pictures and Sony Music divisions along with a new global incubator. The company has developed the Soneium blockchain through Sony Block Solutions Labs, a joint venture aimed at accelerating Web3 innovation. Sony is launching the "Soneium Minato" public testnet and a developer incubation program called "Soneium Spark" to foster ecosystem growth and adoption. The initiative includes strategic partnerships with Web3 companies such as Astar Network, Circle, and Optimism. Sony aims to create a fan community centered on creators and connect diverse values through Soneium, with the ultimate goal of integrating Web3 services into people's daily lives. While the company acknowledges the challenges faced by Web3, including limited user adoption and the need for mainstream use cases, it remains committed to decentralizing the concentrated power of the current internet landscape.

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    LA Companies

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    LA Venture Funds

    • Fika Ventures led a $4.55M Seed Round for Revenew, a San Francisco startup that aims to help digital platforms and marketplaces manage their payments and optimize financial operations. - learn more
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