Evolving – and catching up – with cyber threats | Part 1

How the agriculture and food sector is faring in increasingly complex cyber security environment

While a slew of high-profile cyber security incidents has generated more awareness among farmers, food companies and industry groups, agriculture as a whole is lagging in its preparedness for malicious and increasingly sophisticated cyber actors.

In part 1 of this episode of Field Trials our host Matt has a conversation with Dr. Ali Dehghantanha, a cybersecurity expert and professor at the University of Guelph, and head of the school’s Cyber Science Lab – a division which helps communicate the importance of improved cyber security, shares methods of doing so, and provides support for those dealing with cyber attacks.

More cases

“In 2019 I remember we had like four or five cases reported to us…within a Canadian context, and mainly south Ontario where we are active”, says Dehghantanha, referring only to cyber security incidents, communicated to his lab.

“In 2022 we had 16 cases. In 2023 we are six to seven months into it and the number of cases is over 20 already. That genuinely shows things are changing.”

What’s changing exactly? Dehghantanha says the number of reports is increasing because awareness of cyber threats is going up, in addition to greater activity on the part attackers.

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