Cyberattacks have evolved beyond technical inconveniences;
they now possess the capability to disrupt daily life significantly and jeopardize our
food
security. This was demonstrated when a major meat-packing company fell victim to a
ransomware attack, causing widespread concern, operational halts, and lost revenue.
Cyber actors may perceive Ag Co-Ops as lucrative targets with a willingness to pay
due to the time-sensitive role they play in agricultural production.
Although ransomware attacks against the entire
farm-to-table spectrum the number of cyberattacks against agricultural cooperatives
during key seasons, like Harvest & Planting, is notable.
Growers might believe that due to the manual nature of
their work, they can always revert to using pen and paper. However, essential aspects of
their operations, such as shipping, and banking, heavily rely on computers and the
internet. This dependency on connectivity exposes vital functions to
potential risks associated with cybercrime.
An intelligence report from CrowdStrike indicates that out of 160 monitored hacking
collectives or gangs, 13 have been pinpointed as focusing on the agricultural sector.
Furthermore, the FBI revealed last month that there were at least eight instances of
cyberattacks on agricultural companies in 2021.
In 2023 a modest Ontario hog farm was compromised using
straightforward ransomware, which disabled their cameras, accounting, and feeding
systems, bringing the farm to a complete halt for several weeks.
The attackers didn't demand money. Instead, they sought a fabricated confession from the
farm owners, falsely admitting to animal abuse on the premises.
Often viewed as a sector with minimal technological
integration, agriculture is now facing heightened digital risks due to its adoption of
various online technologies. The industry's increased reliance on email, online
monitoring tools, remote control systems, payment mechanisms, and advanced smart farming
machinery, like internet-enabled tractors, has elevated the threat landscape for
farmers.
In January 2021, a US farm, which has not been disclosed, experienced a ransomware
attack that led to an estimated $9 million in losses because of a temporary cessation of
their agricultural activities. The anonymous cybercriminal managed to infiltrate their
internal servers by obtaining administrator-level access via stolen credentials.
