Cyber risks in the food supply sector persist a year after the JBS attack

Cybercriminals launch ransomware assaults on outdated Operational Technology systems and devices, which generally lack advanced security measures.

, and Administrator

2025 September 12 . 1:27 AM

2 min read

Cybersecurity risks in the food supply chain persist a year after the JBS hacking incident

Cyber risks in the food supply sector persist a year after the JBS attack

The food and agriculture sector is finding itself under increased scrutiny from cybercriminals, with a level of attention not previously seen. This heightened focus is largely due to the extensive information-sharing ecosystem that this industry relies on.

The global food supply chain has been strained by various factors, including the ongoing conflict in Ukraine. The invasion by Russia has disrupted the supply of grains, exacerbating the already existing crunch.

Last autumn, six unnamed grain cooperatives experienced ransomware attacks during the harvest season, potentially disrupting the supply of seeds and fertilizers. This incident underscores the vulnerability of the food and agriculture sector to cyber threats.

Notable victims of such attacks include JBS USA, a subsidiary of Brazil's JBS SA and the world's largest meat supplier. In late May 2021, JBS USA suffered a ransomware attack that temporarily shut down its slaughter plants and meat processing facilities in North America and Australia. The company ultimately paid $11 million in ransom to the cybercriminals a week after discovering the incursion.

Similarly, agricultural machinery producer AGCO was hit with a ransomware attack on May 5, just 16 days after the FBI issued a warning about potential threats to food and agriculture cooperatives during critical planting and harvest seasons.

The consolidation and concentration of companies responsible for the global food supply present another unique point of risk. With digital transformation, operational technology (OT) assets, widespread in the food and agriculture sector, are being exposed to a host of new cyber threats.

Much of the machinery in this sector runs on legacy OT that was never designed to be connected to the internet. This legacy infrastructure, combined with the vast pool of third-party automation vendors with site-to-site access into the OT environment, adds to the sector's security risks.

The food and agriculture industry has been a target for multiple cyberattacks over the past year. As security teams in this sector continue to catalog assets and identify connected systems with the greatest exposure, it is clear that the industry faces significant challenges in securing its digital infrastructure.

Other macroeconomic factors such as grain shortages, climate change, and high inflation rates are further testing the industry's ability to feed people. According to the United Nations, food prices have risen almost 30% in the past year.

The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) in the United States designates food and agriculture as one of the 16 critical infrastructure sectors. As such, it is crucial that appropriate measures are taken to protect this sector from cyber threats.