The prospect of cybercrime remains a never-ending, and increasingly dangerous, threat to dairy processors. Attackers are focusing more on critical infrastructures, leading to threats of food tampering and hacks into processing, transportation and storage systems that can result in food spoilage and, consequently, food poisoning and shortages.

The need for sophisticated cybersecurity is becoming an increasingly crucial necessity for dairy processors, particularly since they face the extra challenge of operating in a “living supply chain,” in which attacks to any part of the chain can lead to a food safety crisis, food shortage, animal welfare concerns, and reputational risk.

On May 30, 2021, meat processor giant JBS USA determined that it was the target of an organized cybersecurity attack, which impacted some of the servers supporting its North American and Australian IT systems. 

The event will take place May 18-20, 2022, in Austin, Texas.