JBS is Planning to Reopen After Huge Cyber Attack

The largest meat producer in the world, JBS SA, has said that the company made “significant progress” in resolving the cyberattack it endured which impacted its global operations.

The company said that it would have the “vast majority” of its plants operational today.

“Our systems are coming back online and we are not sparing any resources to fight this threat,” JBS USA Chief Executive Officer Andre Nogueira said in a statement late Tuesday.

The cyber attack had forced the company to shut down all of its beef plants in the USA. These facilities make up for almost a quarter of American supplies — according to an official with the United Food and Commercial Workers International Union. The official has said that al USA JBS meatpacking facilities in the country experienced some level of disruption.

The cyber attack is connected to a Russia-linked hacking group, according to four people familiar with the campaign who were not authorized to speak publicly on the matter. The cybergang goes by the name REvil or Sodinokibi.

It has been about three weeks since the Colonial Pipeline Co., operator of the biggest U.S. gasoline pipeline, was targeted in a ransomware attack that was attributed to a group called DarkSide. Experts have concluded that there is some evidence linking that group to Russia as well.

“Attacks like this one highlight the vulnerabilities in our nation’s food supply chain security, and they underscore the importance of diversifying the nation’s meat processing capacity,” said U.S. Senator John Thune of South Dakota.

Allan Liska, senior security architect at cybersecurity analytics firm Recorded Future has said that there have been more than 40 publicly reported ransomware attacks against food companies since May 2020

UFCW Internatioanl President Marc Perrone, whose union represents more than 25,000 JBS meatpacking employees, has asked JBS “to ensure that all of its meatpacking workers receive their contractually guaranteed pay as these plant shutdowns continue.”

JBS owns facilities in 20 countries.

Disclaimer: We have no position in any of the companies mentioned and have not been compensated for this article.