Switzerland: Cow and calf die after cyberattack
A ransomware attack in Switzerland ends tragically for a cow and her calf.
Dairy cow in a large barn (symbolic image).
(Image: DedMityay/Shutterstock.com)
In Switzerland, a farmer's computer was the victim of cyber criminals. This was reported by, among others, Agrarheute.
According to Agrarheute, the cyber criminals demanded 10,000 dollars, around 9,150 euros, to decrypt the data. Bircher then considered whether he should accept the cybercriminals' demands, but decided against it.
Cow and calf die
As a result, the farmer couldn't get any information from the milking robot. The calf of one cow therefore died in the womb. Due to the failed systems, the farmer recognized this emergency too late. Attempts to save at least the cow had failed. In the end, the cow had to be euthanized.
Overall, the attack caused monetary damage amounting to the equivalent of over 6,400 euros, mainly due to veterinary costs and the purchase of a new computer – but the criminals came away empty-handed.
Concerns about adequate IT security
As early as 2022, Bitkom addressed the risks of digitalization in agriculture – in particular insufficiently protected systems that can provide gateways for cyberattacks. Such attacks can have serious economic consequences.
(Image: Bitkom)
Accordingly, although news of hacker attacks on agricultural systems is known, many users are still insufficiently aware of these threats. There is often a lack of knowledge and responsibility in dealing with cyber threats.
Almost half of farmers (46%) saw concerns about adequate IT security as the biggest obstacle to the digitalization of agriculture.
(mack)