Industry News
Cyberattack Hits World's Largest Meat Supplier
In June 2021, JBS, one of the world's largest international meat processors, was hit with a ransomware attack that forced the company to take systems offline and halt operations across North America and Australia.
In June 2021, JBS, one of the world's largest international meat processors, was hit with a ransomware attack that forced the company to take systems offline and halt operations across North America and Australia. The attack came less than four weeks after a similar ransomware incident against Colonial Pipeline, which had disrupted fuel supplies across the southeastern United States.
JBS operates 11 beef processing facilities in Australia and 26 chicken processing plants in the United States. Within days of the attack, at least six U.S. locations posted notices instructing workers not to report for their shifts, citing the disruption to company IT systems. One post from the JBS beef processing plant in Grand Island, Nebraska read: "This weekend our company was the target of a cyberattack that has impacted our IT systems. As a result, we will not operate tomorrow."
The JBS facility in Greeley, Colorado, described as the largest beef processing plant in the United States, shut down its two major shifts, affecting thousands of workers represented by the United Food and Commercial Workers union.
The White House Responds.
JBS notified the White House on Sunday that the attack was a ransomware incident. Principal Deputy Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre confirmed the administration's response to reporters: "The White House has offered assistance to JBS, and our team and the Department of Agriculture have spoken to their leadership several times in the last day. JBS notified the administration that the ransom demand came from a criminal organization, likely based in Russia. The White House is engaging directly with the Russian government on this matter."
The attack was later attributed to a criminal ransomware group operating out of Russia. According to ransomware analyst Allan Liska at cybersecurity firm Recorded Future, approximately 40 food and beverage companies around the world had confirmed ransomware attacks between May 2020 and the time of the JBS incident.
Real-World Consequences Beyond the Digital.
The attack on JBS illustrated something important: ransomware does not just disrupt computer systems. It disrupts physical operations with consequences that ripple into the broader economy.
Chad Hart, a professor at Iowa State University's Center for Agricultural and Rural Development, noted that the attack had already begun affecting cattle markets. "For consumers this probably means a little bit higher meat prices because you're constraining the supply of meat," he said. He also warned that if plant shutdowns extended beyond a week, farmers could face a situation where livestock were building up on farm sites without sufficient capacity to hold them, a problem similar to what occurred during the COVID-19 shutdowns of meat processing facilities in 2020.
What This Means for Every Business.
Ransomware groups are not selective. Food processing, energy infrastructure, healthcare, local government, and small businesses have all been targeted. The criminal organizations behind these attacks treat them as a business model, and they look for organizations that are unprepared.
The JBS attack is a reminder that every business is a potential target, and that the consequences of a successful attack can extend far beyond your own organization.
Cyber One Solutions Can Help Protect Your Business.
From network security assessments to backup strategy and incident response planning, Cyber One Solutions helps organizations of all sizes build defenses that work. Contact us today to schedule a consultation before an incident forces the conversation.