Cyber Attacks in Ag
From the Ag Information Network, I’m Bob Larson. Cyberattacks are increasing at an alarming rate, including against industrial systems U.S. agriculture relies on.
Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines told the Senate Armed Services Committee the U.S. intelligence community has seen a massive increase in cyberattacks worldwide, with U.S. entities most heavily targeted …
HAINES … “This year, cyber actors are attacking U.S. industrial control systems, which are typically used to automate industrial processes, at record levels. Many critical infrastructure sectors, including water and wastewater, food and agriculture, defense, energy, and transportation rely on such systems.”
And while the chance of any single attack is low, the sheer number boosts the chances, while stopping them could be simple …
HAINES … “Cyber-actors took advantage of default or weak passwords, unpatched weak vulnerabilities, and poorly secured network connections to launch relatively simple attacks.”
Haines outlined an all-of-government approach that includes USDA to also combat biosecurity threats …
HAINES … “I think it would always be an overstatement to say that we can detect everything that would be ultimately a potential vector for both human and animal concerns. But the fact is, we have expanded and invested a tremendous amount in improving our biosecurity practices.”
Haines followed earlier testimony from FBI Director Christopher Ray on spiraling cyber threats.
