Major produce supplier Dole temporarily shut down some of its production plants earlier this month due to a cyberattack that caused the company to stop food shipments to grocery stores. The incident—caused by ransomware, according to a company statement—led to some Texas and New Mexico stores being unable to stock Dole salad kits for several days.
Despite efforts by the company to “contain the threat” with the help of third-party cybersecurity experts, CNN reports that it remains unclear how long production was kept offline. Dole has assured its customers that it is cooperating with law enforcement.
The cyberattack on Dole comes at a time when cybercrime is rising, and the U.S. government has been working to address the issue. After he was elected, U.S. President Joe Biden initially called on Russian President Vladimir Putin to crack down on Russian cybercrime groups. Hopes for cooperation faded following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
The incident at Dole serves as a reminder of the vulnerability of critical infrastructure, such as the food supply chain, to cyberattacks. The company is just one of many targeted by ransomware attacks in recent years. As such, cybersecurity experts continue to urge businesses and organizations to take steps to protect themselves from cyber threats.
