JSB Foods ransomware incident just a prominent example
According to Claroty, more than 40% of food and beverage-sector respondents had their OT environment impacted by a ransomware attack in the past year, with 50% of those victims reporting a substantial disruption12. The food and beverage industry has been increasingly targeted by cyberattacks, with incidents like the ransomware attack on JBS Foods showcasing the vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure systems. These attacks highlight the importance of implementing cybersecurity measures to protect against disruptions that can have significant financial, operational, and reputational consequences for companies in the sector.
A prominent example is the organized cyberattack in 2021 on JBS Foods, the world’s largest meat distributor, compromising their North American and Australian IT systems. The attack led to the closure of five meat processing plants for three days. The ransomware attack was attributed to the REvil group, demanding a significant ransom payment in Bitcoin, which JBS paid to protect its customers. The attack highlighted vulnerabilities in the food and beverage industry’s cybersecurity, emphasizing the need for enhanced protection against evolving cyber threats. JBS USA confirmed paying $11 million in ransom to resolve the cyberattack, stating that no company, customer, or employee data was compromise.
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