System failures raise the security level at the Port of Santos

A sequence of failures in the systems of the Santos Port Authority (APS) led to increased security controls at the Port of Santos. The problem began on Friday morning (6), after a power outage affected the company's servers.

The outage affected the institutional website, internal systems, and platforms used by companies and users of the port complex. Although the services were restored early Friday evening, new failures were recorded during the early hours of Saturday (7).

After the problem was repeated, the APS began investigating not only the effects of the power outage but also the possibility of a cyber incident. As of the update issued by the sources, the company had not yet determined the definitive cause, scope of the occurrence, or whether there had been any access to data.

The State Commission for Public Security in Ports, Terminals, and Navigable Waterways (Cesportos) raised the Port of Santos to protection level II. The measure provides for stricter access inspections and more intensive checks, especially in sensitive areas.

Vessel arrivals and departures and land access continued to operate. To maintain service, the APS adopted alternative channels and internal controls. The company, however, warned that the instability could slow administrative procedures.

The APS's own technology teams, outsourced companies, and professionals from the Federal Data Processing Service (Serpro) are working to restore the systems. The APS also said it had adopted technical, administrative, and legal measures to investigate the origin of the failures and limit their effects. The Federal Police in Santos was notified but, according to the information released, had not yet received formal documentation or opened an investigation.