<p>By: Doug Baker, Vice President, Industry Relations, FMI </p><img src="https://www.fmi.org/images/default-source/blog-images/supply-chain-concept-sq.tmb-large-350-.png?Culture=en&sfvrsn=6ef3ef3f_1" style="float:right;margin-bottom:10px;margin-left:15px;" alt="Supply chain farm truck ship" class="-align-right" sf-size="100" /><p>The food supply chain is a long, complex mechanism — and, increasingly, a digital one. New technology has been a boon for producers and distributors alike, streamlining operations and enhancing efficiency at nearly every link in the chain. But these advancements also introduce new vulnerabilities, leading to greater numbers of cyberattacks on food producers.</p><p>To bolster the modern food supply chain and empower all participants to better defend against growing cyberattacks, companies of every size must come together and share cyber resources and information. </p><h5>The Complex Tech Supporting the Food Supply Chain</h5><p>Evermore digital, the food supply chain incorporates diverse technology from start to finish. Numerous software and digital systems come into play during logistics for processing, packaging and distribution to ensure proper labeling and transport. Finally, retailers use point-of-sale (POS) systems to complete customer transactions.</p><p>Thanks to modern technologies, the global food supply chain is more of a well-oiled machine than ever before — but its sheer vastness brings a new wave of troubles, namely cybersecurity risks. Consider: If bad actors gain unauthorized access, they could manipulate processing systems to mislabel products, logistics software to sabotage deliveries or POS systems to extract customers’ personal and financial information. </p><p>As the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2773067024000074" target="_blank">food supply chain continues to advance</a> with new technological efficiencies, companies should expend equal resources on improving cybersecurity defenses. </p><h5>How to Strengthen Cybersecurity in the Supply Chain: Preparedness & Collaboration</h5><p>Companies that make up the food supply chain are increasingly at risk of cyber threats. To enhance cybersecurity defenses in a way that strengthens not just a handful of companies but the entire chain, it’s best to take a multi-pronged approach. </p><p>For their part, individual stakeholders (i.e., farmers, processors and retailers) can practice good cybersecurity hygiene, including regularly updating software, creating incident response plans and educating staff on cybersecurity awareness. It’s also a good idea to establish uniform cybersecurity protocols with vendors and suppliers. </p><p>At the industry level, there’s more that can be done. Participating in information-sharing via ISACs (Information Sharing and Analysis Centers) enables you to stay up to date on emerging cyber threats, niche industry trends and best practices, helping your company make more informed security decisions to fortify defenses and safeguard your equipment. ISACs help critical infrastructure owners and operators protect their facilities, personnel and customers from cyber and physical security threats and other hazards. These organizations collect, analyze and disseminate actionable threat information to their members and provide members with tools to collaborate, mitigate risks and enhance resiliency. Other ISAC services include annual conferences, technical exchanges, workshops, webinars, 24/7 threat warnings, incident reporting capabilities and sharing actionable and relevant information.</p><blockquote class="unquoted"><strong>Consider:</strong> If bad actors gain unauthorized access, they could manipulate processing systems to mislabel products, logistics software to sabotage deliveries or POS systems to extract customers’ personal and financial information.</blockquote><p>There are two ISACs that serve two distinct parts of the food industry: the <a href="https://www.foodandag-isac.org/" target="_blank">Food & Ag ISAC</a> and the <a href="https://rhisac.org/" target="_blank">Retail & Hospitality ISAC</a> (RH-ISAC). The Food & Ag ISAC serves the early stage of the food supply chain, such as farming, agriculture and processing businesses that grow and produce food. RH-ISAC serves the later stage of the food supply chain, such as consumer packaged goods manufacturers, grocers and restaurants that get food onto consumers’ tables. </p><p>Recognizing the need for increased cybersecurity resilience within the industry’s supply chains, RH-ISAC developed a new program called <a href="https://rhisac.org/linksecure/" target="_blank">LinkSECURE</a>. This program helps small- and mid-size vendors and service providers in the retail food supply chain who have limited IT or cyber resources take steps to mature and strengthen their cybersecurity operations — because stronger stores help bolster the entire food supply chain. LinkSECURE combines curated resources with a dedicated success manager who will walk participants through a step-by-step implementation of <a href="https://www.cisecurity.org/controls/cis-controls-list">critical security controls</a>, a set of safeguards to mitigate the most prevalent cyberattacks against systems and networks. </p><p>The strength of the global food supply chain is not just a matter of cybersecurity — it’s the foundation of the world’s food security. Working together as a part of industry initiatives is the best way to fortify defenses against threats and ensure long-term resilience. </p><p><a href="https://www.fmi.org/industry-topics/technology" class="button">Technology Resources</a></p>
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