Expert discussion on cyber resilience

Cyber resilience is a decisive factor for the future security of modern agriculture. Increasing digitalization makes agricultural businesses vulnerable to cyberattacks - a risk that has recently been clearly highlighted by the white paper “Cyberresilienz in der Landwirtschaft” by the industry association Bitkom e.V. (2023) and the report “Cybersicherheit in der Nahrungsmittelversorgung” by the Office of Technology Assessment at the German Bundestag (2024). Based on these assessments, the Thünen Institute organized an expert discussion in cooperation with the Federal Ministry of Food and Agriculture (BMEL). The aim of this meeting was to gain a comprehensive overview of the current state of cybersecurity in agriculture and to assess whether further measures need to be taken to strengthen the resilience of agricultural businesses against cyberattacks.

High security standards among agricultural machinery manufacturers

The white paper and the report already identified supply chain attacks as one of the greatest cyber threats to agriculture. These attacks are aimed at penetrating the systems supplied by manufacturers that are used on farms via digital interfaces. Examples include vehicle fleets, plant series and IT services. The agricultural machinery manufacturers and industry representatives in attendance emphasized that cyber security is a very high priority in their product development. Through principles such as “Cyber Security by Design”, security is already taken into account in the early stages of development. Manufacturers sensitize their customers to IT security and try to raise user awareness. In the event of a successful attack, they offer support in restoring functionality. Experts agree that successful supply chain attacks are very unlikely, as several security mechanisms would have to be overcome and potential attackers can find simpler and more effective ways to attack. There have already been cyber attacks on manufacturers of agricultural machinery. However, serious consequences for food safety are considered unlikely in such cases.

Cyber security on farms

Small and medium-sized agricultural businesses in Germany are particularly susceptible to cyber attacks, as they often do not have sufficient IT security measures in place. Ransomware attacks pose a particular threat, as they are relatively easy to carry out but can cause considerable damage. Experts emphasized that the vast majority of successful attacks are due to user error. It is therefore important to raise farmers' awareness of cyber security risks. Training and information campaigns by associations, agricultural equipment manufacturers and government agencies were identified as important measures. It was considered crucial to strengthen the IT security of small and medium-sized farms in order to minimize vulnerability to cyberattacks.

Cyberresilienz in der Landwirtschaft | Leitfaden 2023 | Bitkom e. V.

TAB - Themen und Projekte - Infrastrukturen und Sicherheit - Cybersicherheit in der Nahrungsmittelversorgung

Contact person: Martin Kraft