The major objective of the food industry is the production of raw materials, semi-finished commodities, and finished items. This is a multifaceted, demanding, and complicated sector. It includes companies that produce, process, manufacture, market, and serve food, drinks, and nutritional supplements.
The food business has undergone a radical change recently. They deploy networked sensors, motors, and controls in plants to optimize processes and provide information for operational choices. There are more significant cyber hazards to the food business due to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).
In a cyber-attack, hackers infiltrate the leading supply chains and prevent the delivery of supplies to the locations where food is required, limiting the amount of food available. Additionally, hackers may use cyberspace to hack into the IIoT programmable logic controllers used during the conversion step, threatening the nutritional value and safety of the food.
Ransomware attack attempts are cyber threats that frequently target the food supply business. Info thieves who gather financial, consumer, and employee data from a business’s servers and endpoints are the second most frequent. Following that, this information is sold on dark web markets.
Cybersecurity in the Food Sector for Consumer Trust Protection and Food Safety
Important cybersecurity issues have been raised by information technology (IT), including dangers that might affect operational technology (OT) asset management, information systems, and the physical environment.
Cybersecurity extends beyond the conventional idea of information security against cyber threats in cyberspace. It protects the OT asset inventory and information resources from any cyber-attacks. Therefore, suitable security measures must be implemented to stop attacks that change how industries operate correctly, potentially posing economic and societal hazards.
The Institute of Food Technologists (IFT) suggested the urgent need for cybersecurity to address the security gaps in the digital food chain. They recommend enforcing cybersecurity through education, investment, and transparency. The following are ways to enhance food safety and trust protection.
Cybersecurity Education
Educating staff on cybersecurity is arguably the most effective step food and agriculture companies can take to safeguard themselves against cyber-attacks. Most attacks begin with a social engineering strategy, frequently an email.
It is challenging to distinguish modern phishing emails from legitimate communications. Users may act as a realistic first line of defense by educating staff members always to be watchful for the telltale symptoms of a phishing email.
Backup Information
This is important because ransomware in the food and agriculture sectors relies on threat actors’ ability to introduce malware that prevents access to vital information for enterprises. Attackers can restrict food manufacturers’ capacity to function by preventing them from accessing their business systems.
Keeping a recent backup is the most straightforward and feasible mitigating method to stop ransomware thieves. To prevent hackers from encrypting or stealing the original files and backup copies, backup data should be separated from the original files.
Segmenting of Network
Food IT administrators can improve security by separating business networks’ asset management from production networks and breaking them up into smaller pieces. You can logically separate a company’s infrastructure and disconnect if suspicious activity is found in another network area.
Malware, when introduced to a specific network area, such as when upgrading applications, can compromise even segmented infrastructure. However, segmenting can stop harmful malware from dispersing throughout the entire organization.
Endpoint Malware Protection Software
This entails safeguarding endpoints (such as computers, devices, and asset inventory). Malware is designed to wreak havoc, steal information, encrypt files, or break into digital systems without authorization. It is cyber threats that food firms encounter most frequently. “Malware” refers to a broad category of harmful software, including trojans, worms, and ransomware.
Anti-malware software uses behavioral analysis, signature detection, and occasionally artificial intelligence to stop malware from being used in an attack. Every digital endpoint in a network must have anti-malware software installed. Today, using personal devices in workplaces makes it difficult to ensure that current anti-malware is correctly deployed across all devices with network connectivity.
Regular Software Updates and Patching
Vendors constantly offer updates and patches to safeguard their consumers’ trust when vulnerabilities are found in software and computer systems. Users frequently fail to update their systems, allowing hackers to exploit the flaws and gain wide accessibility. Performing routine updates and patches may protect systems from numerous harmful threats.
Bottom Line
Apart from malware, ransomware, and phishing assaults, it is crucial to remain vigilant against emerging threats such as tech support fraud, identity theft efforts, social engineering attacks, and other advanced cyber threats. These attacks are prevalent in the digital landscape and can have significant repercussions, including financial losses and compromised operational efficiency for businesses.
To mitigate these risks and ensure consumer trust, it is essential to establish a comprehensive cybersecurity foundation that aligns with regulatory standards. By implementing robust security measures, businesses can enhance operational effectiveness, avoid penalties and fines, and most importantly, safeguard the integrity of food products.
Building a strong cybersecurity framework not only protects sensitive data but also demonstrates a commitment to maintaining food safety standards, instilling confidence in consumers, and fostering long-term trust in the digital era.
Frequently Asked Questions
What exactly is a cyber supply chain attack?
A supply chain attack occurs when someone compromises your digital infrastructure by using a third-party partner or supplier to access your data and systems.
How can we defend against food supply chain attacks?
Vendors are carefully evaluated. Businesses should carefully review a supplier’s security procedures before collaborating with a vendor or utilizing third-party products or software.
What does data leaking mean in cyber security?
The release of private, sensitive, or protected information into an unreliable setting is a data breach or leak.
Which cyberattack is the most difficult to stop?
The most challenging kind of cyberattack, however, is the zero-day attack.
What does cybersecurity safeguard?
Cybersecurity is the defense against damaging attacks by attackers, spammers, and cybercriminals on devices with internet access and services.
Who benefits from cybersecurity?
Individuals, businesses, and governments benefit from enforced cybersecurity of operational technology asset inventories.
