Enhancing Cybersecurity in Logistics Services: A Study of Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Service Providers

This study aims to uncover the impacts of cyberattacks to 3PL service providers and examine their potential ripple effects both in the context of individual stakeholders and on the overall supply chain network. The goal is to contribute to the development of a safe and uninterrupted supply chain for all stakeholders by introducing effective mitigation strategies for these attacks. Content analysis was used to examine data gathered from semi-structured interviews with eighteen key stakeholders. Findings reveal that cyberattacks on 3PL service providers disrupt not only their operations but also the entire supply chain, affecting all stakeholders. These attacks cause both short-term disruptions, such as compromised data and operational delays, and long-term consequences, including loss of customer trust, damaged relationships, and significant financial losses. In addition, it is outlined that the ripple effects on all stakeholders can be prevented or reduced through the implementation of the identified mitigation strategies, ultimately enhancing the overall stability of the supply chain. This study advances the literature on supply chain cybersecurity by analyzing the ripple effects of cyberattacks on 3PL service providers and introducing a multidimensional mitigation framework.