About this episode

Benjamin Wilkens discusses the cyber threats facing the trucking industry and the importance of cybersecurity practices.

In this episode of Behind the Wheelhouse on Trucker Talk Radio, Benjamin Wilkens, Director of Cybersecurity for the National Motor Freight Traffic Association (NMFTA), joins Jon and Justin for a deep and practical conversation about the cyber threats targeting carriers, owner-operators, and fleets across North America. What makes Benjamin uniquely qualified is his background: before entering cybersecurity, he spent years as a Class A truck driver and driver manager, giving him a perspective that bridges the cab and the server room in a way few people in the industry can claim. Benjamin breaks down how the majority of successful cyberattacks start with phishing and social engineering, and why smaller carriers are often the most attractive targets. He explains that cybercriminals right-size their ransom demands to what a business can actually afford, making no operation too small to hit. He also draws a direct line between cybersecurity best practices and the cargo theft and fraud issues that plague the industry daily, arguing that the same controls that protect your data will also help you fight double brokering, Trojan drivers, and carrier impersonation schemes. The conversation…

People in this episode

Hosts: Jon Vogt, Justin

Guest: Benjamin Wilkens

Topics covered

• cybersecurity
• trucking industry
• phishing
• social engineering
• cargo theft
• autonomous vehicles
• technology

Keywords

• cyber threats
• trucking
• fleets
• phishing
• social engineering
• cybersecurity best practices
• cargo theft
• AI

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: National Motor Freight Traffic Association, AI

More episodes of Trucker Talk Radio

• Freight Fraud, Double Brokering & Getting Carriers Paid | Charles Soncrant on Trucker Talk Radio · July 20, 2026 · 54 min
• Senior CDL Trainer Exposes What's Broken in Driver Training | Michael J. Mollick on Trucker Talk Radio · July 18, 2026 · 1h 8m
• Zero Breeze Tech Is Solving One of Trucking's Biggest Problems | Sean Mathews on Trucker Talk Radio · July 17, 2026 · 34 min
• California Trucking Association CEO Eric Sauer on Fighting for the Industry | Behind The Wheelhouse · July 15, 2026 · 50 min
• How Comdata Changed Trucking Forever | Randy Morgan on Behind The Wheelhouse · July 13, 2026 · 46 min
• The Brokerage Truth: Fraud, Data & Where Freight Is Heading | Kevin Hill on Behind The Wheelhouse · July 8, 2026 · 41 min

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Trucker Talk Radio podcast page.