Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Ferries Hit by Cyber Attack

The operator of a ferry service to and from Nantucket, Martha's Vineyard and Woods Hole, Mass. said it was hit by a ransomware attack on Wednesday that continues to impact passenger bookings.

The attack has prevented passengers from booking or changing reservations online or over the phone, local officials said, adding that credit card payment systems used to process ticket purchases and parking fees have also been affected.

"Scheduled trips to and from the islands continue to operate safely as scheduled, although some delays in the ticketing process may occur. Customers remain unable to book or change reservations online or by phone," the operator Steamship Authority said on Thursday. "The use of cash is recommended as there is limited access to credit card systems at some terminal and parking locations."

"The Steamship Authority is continuing to work with our team internally, as well as with local, state and federal officials externally, to address Wednesday's incident," the company added. 

While this particular incident has not impacted vessel operations directly, cyber security is a growing concern among vessel operators in the U.S. and across the globe.