Cybersecurity refers to every aspect of protecting a company or organization as well as its employees and assets from online threats. For all of us in animal agriculture, cybersecurity is no longer just about avoiding those sketchy phishing emails or resetting our passwords. It’s about being aware of our online presence and how that may make us vulnerable to individuals or groups looking to gain access to sensitive information with the intent to target our farms or companies.

Recently, the Animal Agriculture Alliance has received a few different reports of cybersecurity concerns related to animal rights groups, such as extremists partaking in what the FBI calls “romance fraud” or what you might call “catfishing.” This is when someone uses misleading social media accounts to befriend and seek out information. In the case of animal agriculture, this could be used to gain information from farm or company employees. There are also schemes to collect information off company computers using software installed by clicking an email link. Physical security is not something to forget about either. Extremists entering a facility can try to access readily available unlocked computers to gather sensitive company information, including farm locations or finances.

You may have heard of ransomware attacks, often in the news targeting tech or finance companies, utilizing a form of malware to encrypt company files and shut down their systems. These attackers then demand a “ransom” in exchange for the decryption. This hit the meat community hard in 2021 when a group targeted JBS. This threat to the production of beef, chicken and pork was admired and applauded by animal rights activists. 

Recently on a hog farm in Ontario, Canada, we were alerted to a similar incident, however, this time the attackers were not asking for payment. The attackers claimed to have captured incriminating evidence of animal welfare concerns from the farm’s surveillance system. To release their hold from the farm’s cyber network, the attackers were demanding a statement from the farm admitting to animal abuse. It was later revealed that the claims were false, and the farm was able to work with a cybersecurity service to resolve the issue. However, this occurrence was very alarming as this was the first time we had seen a cyber-attack seeking to tarnish a business’ reputation instead of money. 

As technology becomes more prevalent both in our personal and professional lives, I encourage everyone to be aware of these tactics and be cautious of any suspicious activity online. The Department of Homeland Security has resources online that we recommend sharing with your friends and colleagues.  

Here are three tips to protect your farm.

•    Treat business information as personal information.

This includes trade secrets, employee information and financial information. Never share this type of information with unknown parties or using unsecured networks.  

•    Think before you act. 

Be especially cautious about any communications that urge you to take action right away. Phishing emails will use this tactic (making you afraid that your account or information is in danger) to make you act rashly and not take precautions. Reach out to the person or company contacting you using a different, trusted communication method to verify what you received.  

•    Report suspicious or harassing activity.

Always report any suspicious contact you receive via email, social media or other platforms to the appropriate people at your company so they can monitor for trends and alert others to be cautious. Report any harassment or strange contact on social media to the platform itself and block any users you have concerns about. 
 
Check out the Animal Ag Alliance website for more cybersecurity tips and information, as well as crisis resources. 

Read more:

Cybersecurity on the Farm: How Could Your Operation Be At Risk?