ransomware Archives

Janos Botschner, a researcher with the Community Safety Knowledge Alliance, speaks at CropConnect in Winnipeg on Feb. 12.

Farming community needs to talk more about cybersecurity

The technology now brought to bear in farming makes farms more vulnerable to digital threats

By Geralyn Wichers March 11, 2025

Glacier FarmMedia — Talking about cybersecurity not only raises awareness in the farming community — it can help reduce the stigma suffered by those victimized by cyberattacks. That was the message from Janos Botschner, a behavioural scientist and researcher with the Community Safety Knowledge Alliance. Botschner spoke at the CropConnect Conference in Winnipeg on Feb. […] Read more

A majority of ag-based companies in a recent survey reported experiencing at least one attempt at a ransomware attack.

Equipment, Machinery

How to prepare for and deal with a loss of farm data

Gathering the farm team together can help develop a backup plan

By Scott Garvey January 22, 2025

Many of today’s farming operations rely on data more than most other small businesses. But what happens if a farm’s data is suddenly lost or compromised? How would that affect operations? Losing field data maps and other files, not to mention business and employee records, could become a big problem. In today’s global environment there […] Read more

News

Some farm dealerships back online after cyber attack

Dealers forced to turn to pen and paper after attack knocked out inventory software

By Geralyn Wichers, John Greig June 26, 2024

Brian Osterndorff, chair of the board of the Canadian Equipment Dealers Association, and president and CEO of Robert’s Farm Equipment, a seven-store group in Ontario, said on June 26 that they had just been informed that they could use the system again.

Mailed cheques are now being intercepted by fraudsters and duplicated but made out to new payees.

Equipment, Features

Fraudsters bringing bigger phish to farms

An ATB rep suggests the time has come for you to stop writing physical cheques

By Doug Ferguson March 1, 2024

Glacier FarmMedia — The time has come for you to step up your cybersecurity against rising levels of financial fraud that have cost some producers tens of thousands of dollars. “It’s unbelievable the amount of cases that have come through our organization in the last year and a half,” says Jonathan Neutens, head of agriculture […] Read more

Livestock, Machinery

Activists target Ontario hog farm with ransomware

'We are dealing with adversaries whose motivation is not money'

By GFM Network News July 20, 2023

A ransomware on a small Ontario hog business is something a cybersecurity expert says needs more attention from the agriculture industry. Instead of cash, the attackers demanded the hog business owners publicly admit to what they alleged to be livestock mistreatment. The occurrence was unique and alarming, says Ali Dehghantanha, Canada research chair in cybersecurity […] Read more

Livestock, Machinery

Cyberattack a $23 million hit on Maple Leaf ledger

Company refused to pay ransom

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News March 10, 2023

Last fall’s ransomware attack at pork and poultry packer Maple Leaf Foods led to an “adverse economic impact” of $23 million or more on the company’s bottom line as it worked to restore systems, officials said. The company on Thursday released that estimate as part of its fourth-quarter financial report, in which it booked a […] Read more

General, Machinery

Quebec’s UPA hit by ransomware attack

Farm organization, affiliate bodies affected

By Dave Bedard, GFM Network News August 18, 2022

Quebec’s overarching farmer organization, l’Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA), has confirmed its computer systems were hit by a ransomware attack earlier this month. UPA, in a release last Thursday, said it’s working with a cybersecurity firm to analyze the nature and scope of the attack, as well as any possible solutions to securely restore its […] Read more

A unit from Massey Ferguson’s VE Series of planters. (News.agcocorp.com)

Crops, Machinery, Reuters

Agco ransomware attack disrupts equipment sales

Dealerships cut off from parts ordering system

By GFM Network News May 6, 2022

Reuters — U.S. agricultural equipment maker Agco Corp. said on Friday a ransomware attack was affecting operations at some of its production facilities, and dealers said tractor sales had been stalled during the crucial planting season. Georgia-based Agco, whose brands include Massey Ferguson, Fendt, Challenger and Valtra, said in a statement it expects operations at […] Read more

General, Machinery

Farm cybersecurity campaign seeks farmer input

CSKA online survey open until Feb. 18

By Glacier FarmMedia staff, GFM Network News January 21, 2022

Canadian farmers are being asked for their input on a federally-backed project to assess and improve cybersecurity in Canada’s ag sector. The Community Safety Knowledge Alliance, the lead organization on the Cyber Security Capacity in Canadian Agriculture project, has put up a voluntary online survey for farm operators, running until Feb. 18, “to look at […] Read more

General, Machinery, Reuters

Spy agency sees ransomware attacks soaring

Aggressive hacking expected to increase

By Reuters, GFM Network News December 6, 2021

Ottawa | Reuters — Global ransomware attacks increased by 151 per cent in the first half of 2021 compared with 2020 and hackers are set to become increasingly aggressive, Canada’s signals intelligence agency said on Monday. The Communications Security Establishment (CSE), citing attacks on North American health facilities and a U.S. pipeline, said the scale […] Read more

Alberta crop conditions improve: report

U.S. grains: Corn sets contract lows on expectations for big US crop

U.S. livestock: Cattle strength continues

GFM Network News