Many farmers feel that cybersecurity doesn’t concern them. Some of our customers have told us that they are safe from cyber threats thanks to their automated milking system, because it’s a big fancy American-made system. Some simply don’t have the resources to protect themselves effectively.
And yet, like everyone else, farmers are unfortunately not immune to cyber fraud. Raising farmers’ awareness of cybersecurity and cyber-insurance is therefore crucial for several reasons.
Especially since technology is now present in all areas of agricultural activity. Just think of e-mails, text messaging, online banking or network-enabled farming tools and implements.
Hacking into this kind of system can have serious consequences for farm businesses, hindering their production, damaging their reputation, affecting their income, and more. For example, if the milking system were compromised, it could prevent cows from being milked, with serious economic consequences for farmers.
Cyber fraudsters usually have similar objectives: stealing data, destroying equipment and gaining an advantage over the competition, to name but a few.
In 2022, Québec’s Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA) was targeted by a ransomware attack that affected all its computer systems. UPA’s 160 employees could no longer connect to the network, and a ransom was demanded. 23 additional client organizations on the UPA’s network were affected.
And this year, in France, some 30,000 livestock producers in south-western France and Corsica were denied access to the online platform that enables them to declare their herd. They had no choice but to use good old-fashioned pencil and paper to continue operating.
These are just two examples. Here are a few more to watch out for, and ways to protect yourself against them.
