The Essential Guide to Food Manufacturing Cybersecurity: Strategies for Production Security

Food manufacturing cybersecurity has become a critical priority as the sector faces unprecedented digital threats. In 2024, the industry ranked as the seventh most targeted for cyberattacks globally, with over 160 documented ransomware attacks in 2023 alone. The stakes are particularly high for food manufacturers, where production disruptions can impact not just business operations but also food safety and supply chain stability.

The Evolving Threat Landscape in Food Manufacturing

The food manufacturing sector experienced a dramatic surge in cyberattacks during 2023-2024, with particularly concerning trends in ransomware and operational disruption. According to recent industry data, nearly one-third of food manufacturers reported six or more intrusions in 2024, compared to just 11% the previous year. (Fortinet 2024 State of Operational Technology and Cybersecurity report). These attacks are increasingly sophisticated, targeting both IT and OT systems with devastating effects on production capabilities.

Notable food manufacturing cyberattacks in 2024 included:

• Blue Yonder (November 2024): Ransomware attack that disrupted supply chain management services affecting Starbucks, Sainsbury's, and Morrisons Supermarkets through compromised warehouse management systems
• VOSSKO (Germany): Ransomware attack that encrypted internal systems and databases, disrupting all operational processes
• Duvel Moortgat (Belgium): Stormous ransomware gang attack causing production halt at all Belgian and US sites, with 88GB of data stolen
• Federated Co-op Ltd (Canada): Operational disruption attack causing store inventory shortages and system outages
• Campbell Soup Co (US): Multi-day plant outage from cyber intrusion discovered in IT network
• Farmer Vital Bircher (Switzerland): Ransomware attack that disabled milking robot and data collection systems, resulting in livestock losses

The attacks demonstrate increasing sophistication in targeting both IT and OT systems, with ransomware and operational disruption being the primary attack types. Phishing emails accounted for 76% of initial access methods, while business email compromise was seen in 65% of incidents.

The JBS Attack: A Watershed Moment

The JBS Foods ransomware attack serves as a crucial case study in understanding modern threats to food manufacturing. The attack forced the shutdown of facilities supplying roughly one-fifth of America's meat supply. Attackers exploited network architecture vulnerabilities to move laterally through the organization's systems, ultimately leading to an $11 million ransom payment. More details on the JBS attack can be found in this summary.

The incident highlighted three critical vulnerabilities common in food manufacturing:
- Insufficient network segmentation between IT and OT systems
- Compromised identity infrastructure enabling lateral movement
- Inadequate real-time threat detection capabilities

Understanding Your Modern Attack Surface

Today's food manufacturing environment presents unique cybersecurity challenges due to increasing IT/OT convergence. With 90% of companies now allowing remote access to their systems, including OT device vendors, the attack surface has expanded dramatically. Legacy operational technology, and network segmentaiton techniques, designed for isolated environments, must now coexist with modern digital systems while maintaining both security and productivity.

The Legacy System Challenge

Many food manufacturers operate with a mix of outdated industrial control systems (ICS) that weren't designed with cybersecurity in mind. These systems often lack basic security features and can't be easily patched or upgraded without risking operational disruption. The challenge is compounded by the fact that replacing these systems is often cost-prohibitive and risks production downtime.

Regulatory Compliance and Industry Standards

The IEC 62443 standard has emerged as the global benchmark for securing industrial control systems in food manufacturing. This framework provides comprehensive guidance for implementing effective cybersecurity measures while maintaining operational efficiency. The standard emphasizes the critical role of network segmentation and access control in protecting manufacturing operations.

Zero Trust Implementation

Modern food manufacturing security requires a zero-trust approach, where no connection or access request is trusted until verified. This principle becomes particularly crucial in environments where legacy systems interact with modern digital infrastructure. Identity-based microsegmentation serves as a foundational element in implementing zero-trust architecture effectively.

Building a Modern Defense Strategy

Identity-based microsegmentation represents a significant advancement over traditional network segmentation approaches. Unlike conventional methods requiring hardware-based firewalls and complex VLAN configurations, modern microsegmentation solutions enable dynamic, software-defined security policies that adapt to changing operational needs.

Building a Modern Defense Strategy with Identity-Based Microsegmentation

Elisity's identity-based microsegmentation platform transforms how food manufacturers secure their networks through rapid discovery, granular control, and simplified management. The microsegmentation solution leverages existing infrastructure to enable microsegmentation without requiring new hardware investments, agents or network redesigns. Using the Elisity IdentityGraph™, the solution automatically discovers and classifies all network-connected assets, providing comprehensive visibility across IT and OT environments.

The Elisity Dynamic Policy Engine enables organizations to create and enforce adaptive, context-aware security policies based on device and user identity rather than static network constructs. Through integrations with leading IoT and OT security platforms including Armis, Claroty, and Nozomi Networks, Elisity enriches device intelligence to enable precise policy controls for industrial environments. This comprehensive approach allows manufacturers to implement effective segmentation within days rather than months, while maintaining continuous visibility and control as new devices join the network.

By enabling microsegmentation through existing network switching infrastructure, Elisity dramatically reduces implementation time and complexity compared to traditional approaches. The cloud-delivered platform can be deployed within an hour, enforcing granular security policies in real-time even for ephemeral IT/IoT/OT devices. This unique combination of rapid deployment, infrastructure reuse, and dynamic policy enforcement helps organizations achieve both immediate security improvements and long-term operational benefits.

People and Process Considerations

Successful cybersecurity implementation requires strong alignment between IT, OT, and production teams. Organizations should establish clear lines of responsibility, with recent trends showing increased CISO involvement in OT security decisions. Training programs must address both technical and operational considerations, ensuring that security measures don't impede production efficiency.

Technology Investment Priorities

Modern food manufacturing security requires strategic investment in several key capabilities:

1. Comprehensive Asset Discovery and Monitoring
- Real-time visibility into all connected devices
- Continuous monitoring of device behavior and communications
- Integration with existing security infrastructure

2. Identity-Based Access Control
- Granular policy management based on user and device identity
- Dynamic access controls that adapt to changing conditions
- Integration with existing identity management systems

Success in Action: Manufacturing Security Transformation

A recent implementation of Elsitiy at a major manufacturer demonstrates the potential of modern security approaches. By adopting identity-based microsegmentation, the organization achieved:
- Deployment of new security controls within 24 hours
- Zero production disruption during implementation
- Significant reduction in operational expenses through simplified policy management
- Enhanced security through granular, identity-based access controls

The Cybersecurity Future for Food Manufacturing and Beverage Industries

Food manufacturers must evolve their security strategies to address modern threats while maintaining operational efficiency. Identity-based microsegmentation, particularly solutions like Elisity's platform, provides a practical path forward. By enabling rapid deployment, granular control, and seamless integration with existing infrastructure, these solutions help organizations achieve both security and operational objectives.

The future of food manufacturing security lies in solutions that can adapt to evolving threats while supporting operational requirements. As the industry continues to digitize, the ability to implement effective security controls without disrupting production becomes increasingly critical. Organizations that embrace modern approaches to microsegmentation will be better positioned to protect their operations while maintaining the efficiency and reliability their stakeholders expect.

When you are ready to enhance your cybersecurity with state-of-the-art microsegmentation, schedule a call or demo with Elisity and learn how our solutions enable manufacturing companies and their critical infrastructure leaders to ensure compliance and maintain operational excellence in the face of evolving cyber threats.