Chinese hacking group Mustang Panda targets maritime transport in seven EU nations

According to ENISA’s annual threat assessment, the China-based hacking outfit Mustang Panda has focused on maritime transport organisations across a minimum of seven EU countries, conducting continuous cyber-espionage throughout 2025. The group’s operations include the collection of strategic data and repeated intrusions, reflecting sophisticated tools and resources. ENISA characterises Mustang Panda as a "significant threat" to EU entities, noting its prior targeting of EU diplomatic missions in 2022 and Russian defence and aerospace companies in 2025.

The maritime industry’s critical role in global commerce makes it especially susceptible to disruptive cyber attacks that could trigger cascading supply-chain impacts. Chinese interest in Western shipping practices, heightened by increasingly contested Middle-East sea lanes, adds a geopolitical dimension to the threat. ENISA’s findings place maritime logistics in a high-risk zone, urging heightened defensive measures across the sector.