For many, this news might seem trivial as it doesn’t involve direct harm to humans. However, the recent death of a cow and her calf due to a ransomware attack is a serious concern for those involved in livestock farming. This incident serves as a critical warning for farmers who rely on livestock for their livelihood.
Recently, a ransomware attack disrupted the farm operations of a farmer in Hagendorn, Switzerland. The attack crippled the farmer’s milking equipment, leading to the death of a calf and its mother. The farmer missed crucial updates on cattle data due to the attack, which contributed to the tragic outcome.
Details about why hackers targeted this particular farmer, who manages a large herd of cows, remain unclear. What is known is that the attackers are demanding $10,000 to decrypt the data and restore the affected systems.
The impact of the attack was severe: the farmer was unable to access important information about pregnant animals, which led to an emergency situation that resulted in the calf’s death and the unfortunate decision to euthanize the mother cow.
In a bold move, the farmer chose not to meet the hackers’ demands. Instead, he discarded the infected equipment and invested in new machinery, incurring an additional $7,500 for veterinary services to manage the situation.
This incident raises concerns about the broader implications if similar attacks were to target farms that supply essential food products such as chicken, milk, mutton, beef, pork, and eggs. A disruption of this scale could lead to significant food shortages, potentially impacting the entire country and benefiting cyber-criminals.
Remember the JBS Meat Cyber Attack by REVIL Ransomware group that made the victim pay $11 million.
