As the digital landscape evolves, cybercriminals are setting their sights on a new target: the agriculture and food production industries. This shift poses a significant challenge as these sectors increasingly integrate technology into their operations.
A study by Check Point, a global cybersecurity company, highlighted a dramatic increase in cyberattacks on agriculture, with a global rise of 101 percent. In the United States, this increase is recorded at 38 percent, noted Omer Dembinsky, a researcher at Check Point.
“Not double, like the overall number worldwide, but still very significant,” Dembinsky commented on the U.S. statistics.
Although education, telecommunications, and government sectors remain the top targets for cybercriminals, the agricultural sector’s growing reliance on technology makes it more susceptible. Dembinsky emphasized the rapid modernization in agriculture, pointing out that the sector lacks the robust security measures present in banking or government institutions.
Recent incidents illustrate the vulnerability of the food industry. A cyberattack on Ahold Delhaize USA led to inventory issues at Stop & Shop stores, while United Natural Foods had to halt its online platform following a cyber breach.
Doug Jacobson from Iowa State University’s Center for Cybersecurity Innovation and Outreach noted that smaller farmers are also under threat, though these attacks often go unnoticed by the media.
“An adversary steals $5,000 from a farmer, (it) doesn’t make the news,” Jacobson explained. “An adversary steals $5 million from a meat processing factory. That makes the news. So our farm sector is already under attack.”
Advanced agricultural technologies, such as drones and computerized systems, present new opportunities for cyber threats, Jacobson warned. The threats often manifest as phishing or extortion scams familiar to other industries.
“A lot of it right now deals with convincing the producer to transfer money to the wrong place,” Jacobson elaborated. “Convincing them that, ‘Hey, I’m the co-op, and we have changed banks, so now you need to route the money to this bank.’”
Lawmakers and Researchers Take Action
This year, federal lawmakers have proposed several bills to counteract the escalating cybersecurity threats in agriculture. These proposals include crisis simulation exercises by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the establishment of research programs at universities.
U.S. Rep. Don Bacon, who initially introduced the American Agricultural Security Act, aims to create a research center focused on biosecurity and cybersecurity at a university. This center would collaborate with federal agencies to enhance agricultural cybersecurity measures.
“If you’re the Department of Agriculture, you can go to — hopefully, something like UNL (the University of Nebraska-Lincoln) — and partner with some very smart people who are studying this, and you get a better product,” Bacon stated.
The proposed legislation also includes grants for protecting agriculture from various threats, with bipartisan support underscoring the importance of cybersecurity in agriculture.
The Cybersecurity in Agriculture Act, introduced by U.S. Reps. Zach Nunn and Don Davis, suggests the creation of Regional Agricultural Cybersecurity Centers. A companion bill was also introduced in the Senate.
According to Jacobson, these bills benefit universities by providing funding for research and recognizing cybersecurity in agriculture as crucial. Universities such as the University of Nebraska, in partnership with the U.S. Strategic Command, and Virginia Tech are already prioritizing research in this area.
Jacobson expressed skepticism about the creation of degree programs specifically for agricultural cybersecurity but acknowledged its integration into existing curriculums.
“You can’t convert everybody into a cyber person, but you sure can help them understand some of the easy things, and what are the potential risks?” Jacobson commented. “A lot of the time, there’s just a few easy things you can do to make yourself much less of a target.”
He advised producers to be wary of urgent requests via email, such as changes in payment methods, and to verify such requests through direct communication.
“An email is not a way to do anything urgent,” Jacobson advised. “Weird payment formats — question that. Nobody does business in Target gift cards.”
This article is produced in collaboration with Harvest Public Media, a partnership among public media newsrooms focusing on food systems, agriculture, and rural issues.
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