Anyone surprised by this?

(Bloomberg) -- A cyberattack on JBS SA, the largest meat producer globally, has forced the shutdown of some of world’s largest slaughterhouses, and there are signs that the closures are spreading.

JBS’s five biggest beef plants in the U.S. -- which altogether handle 22,500 cattle a day -- have halted processing following a weekend attack on the company’s computer networks, according to JBS posts on Facebook, labor unions and employees. Those outages alone have wiped out nearly a fifth of America’s production. Slaughter operations across Australia were also down, according to a trade group. One of Canada’s largest beef plants was idled for a second day.

It’s unclear exactly how many plants have been affected by the attack globally as JBS has yet to release details that granular. The prospect of more extensive shutdowns around the world is already upending agricultural markets and raising concerns about food security as hackers increasingly target critical infrastructure. In the U.S., JBS accounts for about a quarter of all beef capacity and roughly a fifth of all pork capacity. Livestock futures slumped while pork prices rose.

The Brazilian meat giant shut its North American and Australian computer networks after an organized assault on Sunday on some of its servers, the company said by email. Without commenting on operations at its plants, JBS said the incident may delay certain transactions with customers and suppliers.

“Retailers and beef processors are coming from a long weekend and need to catch up with orders,” Steiner Consulting Group said in its Daily Livestock Report. “If they suddenly get a call saying that product may not deliver tomorrow or this week, it will create very significant challenges in keeping plants in operation and the retail case stocked up.”

JBS closed meat processing facilities in Utah, Texas, Wisconsin and Nebraska and canceled shifts at plants in Iowa and Colorado on Tuesday, according to union officials and employees. Union Facebook posts also said some kill and fabrication shifts in the U.S. have also been canceled. Pork and chicken facilities across the nation are also being closed by the owner of Pilgrim’s Pride Corp., the second biggest U.S. chicken producer, according to union officials and employees.

JBS didn’t provide comment on U.S. plant closures, though the company said its Brazilian plants are operating normally.

JBS’s shares rose 1.4% in Sao Paulo, compared with the 1.5% gain for Brazil’s Ibovespa benchmark index. Chicago cattle futures slumped as much as 3.4% to the lowest levels since Jan. 12, before trimming losses to about 1%. The potential slaughterhouse closures at JBS plants exacerbated an existing supply glut, with too many cattle than the capacity to process them.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s midday reports for beef and pork didn’t disclose prices due to “packer submission issues.” However, the CME Group’s pork futures contract jumped by more than 2%.

JBS is the No. 1 beef producer in the U.S., accounting for 23% of the nation’s maximum capacity compared to rival Tyson Foods Inc.’s 22% share, according to an investor report by Tyson.

JBS USA’s beef and pork units and Pilgrim’s Pride had net revenue of about $40 billion in 2020, according to company filings. The division includes operations in U.S., Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Mexico, Puerto Rico and Europe.

Hackers now have the commodities industry in their crosshairs with the JBS attack coming just three weeks after Colonial Pipeline Co., the operator of the biggest U.S. gasoline pipeline, was targeted in a ransomware attack. It’s also happened as the global meat industry battles lingering Covid-19 absenteeism after recovering from mass outbreaks last year that saw plants shut and supplies disrupted.

“While JBS has not confirmed that this is a ransomware attack it has all of the hallmarks of one,” said Allan Liska, senior security architect at cybersecurity analytics firm Recorded Future, who said that there has been more than 40 publicly reported ransomware attacks against food companies since May 2020. “The actual number is probably higher.”

The cyber assault affected the Canadian beef plant in Brooks, Alberta, about 190 kilometers (118 miles) east of Calgary, with shifts canceled on Monday and Tuesday, according to Scott Payne, spokesman for United Food and Commercial Workers Canada Union Local 401. The plant processes 30% of Canada’s federally inspected cattle, according to the Canadian Cattlemen’s Association.

A JBS packaging facility in Belleville, Ontario, where beef, pork and salmon are prepared for grocery stores, was operating normally, Tim Deelstra of UFCW Canada Local 175 said Monday. In the U.S., the UFCW Local 7 posted on Facebook that kill and fabrication shifts A and B were canceled for June 1. The Local 7 membership includes 3,000 workers at JBS in Greeley, Colorado.

JBS owns facilities in 20 countries. The U.S. accounts for half of the company’s revenue, while Australia and New Zealand represent 4% and Canada accounts for 3%, according to company fillings. The company also has operations in South America and Europe.

Backup Servers Fine

Backup servers were not affected, and the company is working to restore systems as soon as possible, according to a statement from JBS USA Monday. The processor said it’s not aware of any customer, supplier or employee data being compromised or misused.

The Australian Cyber Security Centre is providing technical assistance to JBS, while Agriculture Minister David Littleproud has said the government is working with international partners trying to trace, rectify and prosecute where possible, those who perpetrated the attack.

JBS is the largest Australian meat and food processor with a portfolio of beef, lamb, pork, and value-added branded products, according to its website. It exports to more than 50 countries and its Dinmore facility is the biggest beef plant in the southern hemisphere. On the domestic market, the Australian Meat Industry Council said there is no indication that the attack will have a major impact on red meat and pork products supply.

Still, the shutdown is a big concern for exports if it drags on, said Matt Dalgleish, manager of commodity markets insights at Thomas Elder Markets, noting Australia ships overseas about 70% to 75% of red meat products from sheep and cattle. There is a risk to worldwide supplies too.

“If it’s a short term scenario, just a week or something that they’re offline, then it’s probably just a minimal hiccup,” said Dalgleish. But “given the size of JBS globally, if they were offline for any more than a week, then we’re going to see disruption to supply chains for sure,” he said.

https://finance.yahoo.com/news...ckers-214130697.html

How did these industries function before the internet?

If the hackers were able to get into the refrigeration controls that would be a nightmare.

Those plants all run ammionna refrgeration.

It never occurred to me that meat processing was vulnerable to cyberattack. Food prices have been steadily rising since January; things will get worse. IIRC, when the gas pipeline was hit by cyberattack, the Administration decided this was private business’ problem and chose not to help in any way. This issue now is reaching the point where “No Such Agency” ought to be actively tracking down the perpetrators and launching counter-cyberattacks to put them out of business. Waiting.

Turn up the fuel on that pressure cooker a degree at a time.....

The NSA won’t do a damned thing to help the US citizens. It will have to be another agency with access to a SEAL team or two that wipes out buildings and all those in them.

Willing to bet this is Chinese military financed and supported.

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
Willing to bet this is Chinese military financed and supported.

Hell, they probably did it. They don't fear Slow Joe.

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:

quote:

Originally posted by nhtagmember:
Willing to bet this is Chinese military financed and supported.

Hell, they probably did it. They don't fear Slow Joe.

Bet it never happens to Smithfield.

Got to be those damn Russians and Chinese. That is the most believable to most Americans so we'll go with that.

quote:

Originally posted by jljones:
Hell, they probably did it. They don't fear Slow Joe.

My thoughts exactly. No fear of President Potato

So... Are our friends in the FBI investigating these hacks as what they are: Extortion, Terrorism, Interference with Interstate Commerce, Theft, Engaging in a Continuing Criminal Enterprise or any other of a litany of applicable federal laws?
If they are, I missed their presser announcing it.

They have their best men working on it. Best men.

All part of the plan to further unbalance the country- and I’d have ZERO surprise to find the current administration neck deep in complicity.

Remember The World Economic Forum that wants the great reset. Here is what they had to say about cyber attacks in January.

quote:

Originally posted by gearhounds:
All part of the plan to further unbalance the country- and I’d have ZERO surprise to find the current administration neck deep in complicity.

95% of the people are totally clueless of what’s going on.

quote:

Originally posted by wcb6092:
Remember The World Economic Forum that wants the great reset. Here is what they had to say about cyber attacks in January.

Another W.E.F. prediction coming true.

Last night I was walking through the kitchen to the living room when I noticed the other half had the local news on.

Once again leave it to the media to begin spreading panic. The station had a news reporter stationed in front of Lowes Grocery giving an update on the attack. I cannot state how many times the reporter kept saying that grocery stores should be able to keep meat on the shelves but there is no guarantee.

It was just a couple of years ago I was sent to training for Agricultural bioterrorism for County and Tribal jurisdictions. At the time I thought it was a pretty far fetched scenario but it was interesting and the Dept was paying for it.

Hmmm.. Now look...

What will the current Government do?
Probably give them a tax break or tax credits.

Large Corporations will have our back in the coming years. They are tooling up to save the day.


The World’s Top Meat Supplier (JBS) Is Eyeing a Plant-Based Company

https://www.bloomberg.com/news...-plant-based-company



Tyson Foods is getting into the fake meat business

https://www.theverge.com/2019/...otein-chicken-nugget



Bill Gates: Rich nations should shift entirely to synthetic beef

https://www.technologyreview.c...eef-trees-microsoft/



Lab-grown meat start-up raises $14 million to build production plant

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/10/1...million-dollars.html