According to press reports, Tyson Foods was the victim of a cyberattack in November perpetrated by “Snatch”. It is apparent that this group of cyber-criminals infiltrated Tyson systems since they were able to publish confidential information relating to Tyson executives. “Snatch” is under investigation by the Cyber Security and Infrastructure Security Agency (CSISA) and the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The criminal group engages in ransomware extortion and exfiltration of data.
In March 2023, JBS SA was subjected to a devastating cyberattack that disrupted company operations and resulted in a payment of $11 million in ransom to REvil based in the Russian Federation. JBS was apparently susceptible to cyberattack based on the evaluation of specialists who commented on the deficiencies in protection installed by the company. JBS was infected with malware including Conficker and was apparently slow to remedy a number of issues.
The CSISA, a division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), has previously warned the food and agriculture industries to upgrade their protection. These industries are designated as a Critical Infrastructure Sector by DHS based on the fact that incapacitation “would have a debilitating effect on national economic security, public health and safety”.
In 2022, Congress established the Joint Ransomware Task Force following the Colonial Pipeline hack. This Agency operates in collaboration with the FBI and DHS. The Joint Cyber Defense Collaborative is a public-private entity that disseminates information on cyber threats and provides advice on security.