On Friday, a spokesperson from Welch’s, said that a recent “system disruption” that brought their Erie, Pennsylvania operations to a halt was actually a cyberattack.
Welch’s, known for its long tradition of producing grape juice and jams, said the attack happened on Feb. 2nd, when the company shut down all operations leaving hundreds of workers temporarily out of work, unsure when they would return and unable to pick up their paychecks as no direct deposits are being made.
As of Friday, the Welch’s spokesperson said a team of more than 100 technology and cybersecurity experts have been working to restore the company’s systems and the company is working with law enforcement and an investigation is underway.
Carol Volk, EVP, BullWall had this comment:
“The cyberattack on Welch’s underscores the vulnerability of food providers to cyber attacks, which can disrupt operations and compromise the safety of food production. Unfortunately, this incident is not an isolated case; food companies are increasingly becoming targets of cyberattacks due to the critical role they play in providing sustenance to communities. Such attacks lead to significant financial losses, damage to reputation, and can even pose risks to public health.
“Food providers must adopt robust cybersecurity measures including regularly updating devices, software, and systems with the latest security patches. Additionally, implementing endpoint monitoring, ransomware containment systems and regular air-gapped backups can better prepare them for the inevitable cyber-attack and reduce costly downtime. By prioritizing cybersecurity best practices, food companies can safeguard their operations and uphold the trust of consumers in the safety and integrity of their products.”
Craig Harber, Security Evangelist: Open Systems had this to say:
“The specific nature of the cyberattack, which halted operations for two weeks at Welch’s Northeast plant, has not been publicly disclosed. Based on the scope of the response, it is very likely that Welch was the target of the many ransomware criminal gangs that continue to plague companies around the globe. Incident response teams are fully engaged in determining the full scope of the attack, including what systems were impacted and what data was stolen. Once the full extent of the damage is determined, Welch company executives must decide about the next steps.
“Ransomware remains profitable; efforts to improve cybersecurity and discourage payments are crucial in mitigating its impact now and in the future. Companies should take the necessary protective and proactive measures to protect their systems and data.
“The decision to pay a ransom is always complex. There are many factors to consider, not the least of which is you are negotiating with a cybercriminal. There is no guarantee that even if you pay the ransom, these cybercriminals will restore systems and return stolen company data. If you pay a ransom once, you only increase your chances of being attacked again. The next ransom demand will undoubtedly be higher.”
I wish Welch luck in getting up and running again. As we’ve seen in recent cyberattacks, like this one, the can be devastating and long lasting. Neither of which is good.
Like this:
Like Loading...
Related
This entry was posted on February 20, 2024 at 5:26 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags Hacked. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.
You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
Welch Has Been Pwned In A Cyberattack
On Friday, a spokesperson from Welch’s, said that a recent “system disruption” that brought their Erie, Pennsylvania operations to a halt was actually a cyberattack.
Welch’s, known for its long tradition of producing grape juice and jams, said the attack happened on Feb. 2nd, when the company shut down all operations leaving hundreds of workers temporarily out of work, unsure when they would return and unable to pick up their paychecks as no direct deposits are being made.
As of Friday, the Welch’s spokesperson said a team of more than 100 technology and cybersecurity experts have been working to restore the company’s systems and the company is working with law enforcement and an investigation is underway.
Carol Volk, EVP, BullWall had this comment:
“The cyberattack on Welch’s underscores the vulnerability of food providers to cyber attacks, which can disrupt operations and compromise the safety of food production. Unfortunately, this incident is not an isolated case; food companies are increasingly becoming targets of cyberattacks due to the critical role they play in providing sustenance to communities. Such attacks lead to significant financial losses, damage to reputation, and can even pose risks to public health.
“Food providers must adopt robust cybersecurity measures including regularly updating devices, software, and systems with the latest security patches. Additionally, implementing endpoint monitoring, ransomware containment systems and regular air-gapped backups can better prepare them for the inevitable cyber-attack and reduce costly downtime. By prioritizing cybersecurity best practices, food companies can safeguard their operations and uphold the trust of consumers in the safety and integrity of their products.”
Craig Harber, Security Evangelist: Open Systems had this to say:
“The specific nature of the cyberattack, which halted operations for two weeks at Welch’s Northeast plant, has not been publicly disclosed. Based on the scope of the response, it is very likely that Welch was the target of the many ransomware criminal gangs that continue to plague companies around the globe. Incident response teams are fully engaged in determining the full scope of the attack, including what systems were impacted and what data was stolen. Once the full extent of the damage is determined, Welch company executives must decide about the next steps.
“Ransomware remains profitable; efforts to improve cybersecurity and discourage payments are crucial in mitigating its impact now and in the future. Companies should take the necessary protective and proactive measures to protect their systems and data.
“The decision to pay a ransom is always complex. There are many factors to consider, not the least of which is you are negotiating with a cybercriminal. There is no guarantee that even if you pay the ransom, these cybercriminals will restore systems and return stolen company data. If you pay a ransom once, you only increase your chances of being attacked again. The next ransom demand will undoubtedly be higher.”
I wish Welch luck in getting up and running again. As we’ve seen in recent cyberattacks, like this one, the can be devastating and long lasting. Neither of which is good.
Share this:
Like this:
Related
This entry was posted on February 20, 2024 at 5:26 pm and is filed under Commentary with tags Hacked. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.