SAN JOSE, CA - From decreased costs to improved efficiency, the benefits of embracing technological advancements in the produce industry are vast. But there is one caveat: as the use of technology increases, so too does the risk of cyberattacks. However, with the guidance and expertise of companies like ZAG Technical Services, there are avenues to mitigate these threats and recover quickly if they happen.

“Attacks are common. They come in a couple of different paths. One is ACH fraud, and those attacks tend to be in the $40,000 to $200,000 range in cost to companies we see being hit,” explains Greg Gatzke, Chief Executive Officer of ZAG. “The other type of attack is crypto locking, where they go in, take all your data out, and then lock all your machines. Those range up to $15 million and can go north of that.”

Beyond the financial impacts to a company, these cyberattacks have a trickle-down effect, eventually impacting others along the supply chain. As companies recover from the attacks, it can inhibit their ability to ship products, leading to empty store shelves and unstocked foodservice operations. The technological shutdown can even affect the ability to label products, violating compliance regulations.

Ultimately, recovery could lead to weeks of catch-up if the suitable systems aren’t in place. Suppliers and distributors could lose valuable business by then, so cybersecurity is crucial.

“Ag companies must realize they are technology companies, meaning they depend on technology. They can't produce, they can't label, and they can't do these things without systems. So they need to ensure they can recover if attacked,” details Greg. “People think about defense, and that's appropriate, but the number one thing is if you're attacked, how do you recover a reasonable amount of time? People often miss that when coming up with cybersecurity plans.”

In addition to setting up recovery plans, Greg says that multi-factor authentication (MFA) is another vital tool that ag companies can utilize to deter attacks. Patching servers is another way that attacks can be curbed.

What happens if you are hacked? The first thing to do is start the recovery process, which ZAG has helped clients navigate countless times.

“I believe everyone's goal should be a 24-hour recovery, get systems back up within that window. That's a tight goal. It sounds like a long time, but it's not in these situations. You’ve got to make sure the criminals are out, how they got in, and so much more,” Greg relays. “The other thing is that companies should consider how they will respond if an attack impacts them. Too many businesses don't talk about it. You need to discuss handling it when relaxed and clear-headed, not during the actual event.”

As the industry continues to adopt technology to help feed the world, cybersecurity should remain at the forefront of companies’ thoughts when implementing systems.

“Cybersecurity is a basis that we have to have to enable the effective use of technology. If we're going to use technology to support our manufacturing process and growing processes, then we have to be able to trust that those systems will be around,” Greg finishes.

If you want to learn more about the steps you can take to protect your business from cyberattacks, contact ZAG to set up a meeting.

ZAG Technical Services