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With industry trends such as the growth of quick-service restaurants( QSRs) pushing projected market value up by billions of dollars over the next few years, as well as a consistent pace of new technology, the cost of threat mitigation keeps climbing.
Why cyber risk matters in food supply chains
Food supply chains and their operational integrity are vital to ensure people have access to the food and drink they need from day to day. A cyberattack that locks down any network on the chain, or causes a major data breach, could delay inventory replenishment and logistics movement, and even risk reputations.
Stores waiting for inventory from food suppliers will face operational bottlenecks if cyberattacks cause downtime further up the chain. They will then have to answer to customers looking for specific goods, and if an attack takes a major supplier offline, many businesses will feel the impact at once.
Attackers rely on phishing more than any other entry route, and analysis of phishing trends shows that 84 percent of employees who receive a malicious email interact with it within ten minutes, so a single click can compromise systems long before anyone notices. Research also shows that the ongoing digitalization of the food and beverage industry is widening the attack surface and creating a“ base for cyber-events.” Networks remain the most vulnerable point across the sector, according to the same research.
Modern food supply chains rely on hyper-connected, digitalized logistics. While this networking helps stores and retailers feed more people quickly, it also means that a single attack on a critical supplier can leave multiple businesses and many people waiting for products.
Where daily operations can be disrupted
There are multiple critical supply points where cyberattacks can cause serious operational problems. For example, the following points are all at risk:
■ Any business on the chain that is reliant on real-time inventory tracking and replenishment oversight
■ Logistics and distribution, dependent on GPS tracking, and logging and loading controls
■ Farms using Internet of Things( IoT) devices to manage feeding, irrigation, and harvesting
■ Manufacturing and processing services, reliant on mixing controls, automated packaging, and industrial quality control
■ Cold storage using stringent temperature controls
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