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Ransomware attacks up 24% in food and ag industry, cyber experts advise network segmentation

Cybersecurity threats against the food and agriculture sector are rising, and vulnerabilities throughout the supply chain could threaten U.S. food security

Brandon Smith is a cybersecurity intelligence analyst with the Michigan Cyber Command Center.

“Security is not convenient, unfortunately, and literally everything is under attack in the cyberspace.”

He tells Brownfield having separate wifi networks for equipment can be a simple and effective defense against ransomware attacks.

“Your operational technology, so stuff that has a physical effect in the world, whether it’s opening or closing a valve, changing the level of some sort of chemical or food or something like that, should be on a completely separate network than what you’re using for IT, the computer that you’re using every day,” he recommends.

He says IT networks are targeted the most through phishing emails, and businesses can continue to operate if they’re breached.

Smith says camera systems can be a target even if they are on a separate network.

“A lot of people don’t realize if you’re buying something from China, those companies have an obligation to report back to the government of China,” he says. “They could be watching everything you’re doing, regardless of what password you have. Be very cognizant of what you are purchasing.”

Smith says free assessments and trainings with state police can help identify vulnerabilities and develop prevention protocols.

The Food and Agriculture Information Sharing and Analysis Center reports ransomware attacks across all sectors increased more than 80 percent last year in the U.S., with a 24 percent rise targeting the food and agriculture industry.

Brownfield interviewed Smith as part of the recent Michigan Pork Symposium.