A group of hackers BlackMatter attacked the Iowa-based New Cooperative farmer’s cooperative, demanding a $ 5.9 million ransom in cryptocurrencies to unlock the data.
New Cooperative sells grain to farmers. A New Cooperative employee told local media that the hackers used ransomware to block files containing supply chain information as well as feed distribution schedules for chickens, pigs and cattle.
To unlock the files, the attackers demand that the cooperative pay them $ 5.9 million in cryptocurrencies by September 25. BlackMatter threatens to release billing data, R&D documents, and soil mapping software if the ransom is not sent by the due date.
As a precautionary measure, the cooperative was forced to turn off its computer network, as well as the system for monitoring soil irrigation and fertilization. New Cooperative employees tried to negotiate with the hackers to unblock these files without receiving payment.
BlackMatter hackers claim that they usually do not launch attacks on critical life support facilities such as hospitals, communications lines and power plants. Therefore, when conducting “negotiations” with the cybercriminals, New Cooperative stated that it should not have been attacked, since we are talking about critical infrastructure.
The New Cooperative said the hack threatens to affect the software that controls 40% of the country’s grain production, which in turn will disrupt the feeding schedule of 11 million animals. Cybersecurity experts fear that if New Cooperative pays hackers a ransom, it will lead to new attacks on agricultural companies, especially farmer cooperatives.
Earlier, the FBI said that recently, agricultural producers are increasingly becoming victims of hackers. A few months ago, another group of hackers, REvil, attacked one of the world’s largest meat producers, JBS Holdings. As a result, he was forced to pay the extortionists $ 11 million in bitcoins.
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