Cyber on the farm: The most common attacks that target farms
Cyber on the farm: The most common attacks that target farms
As Canadian farms continue to embrace cutting-edge digital tools, they’re becoming prime targets for cyberattacks. From phishing scams to ransomware, cybercriminals are exploiting vulnerabilities in an industry critical to food security. This article breaks down the top cyber threats facing your farm and why awareness is key to protecting your livelihood.
Canadian farming operations are finding themselves at an interesting junction. Long gone are the days of simply managing livestock and crops. Today’s farmers are more digital and connected than ever, improving their production and efficiency thanks to things like data, cloud-based bookkeeping, and precision farming.
There’s no denying this digital shift brings more insight. But it also opens the door to something that’s disruptive in a different way: cyberattacks against the agriculture sector.
The reality is that cybercriminals don’t just go after big corporations. They go after businesses that are vulnerable. And that includes farms of all sizes.
Let’s break down the most common types of cyberattacks impacting agriculture operations today, so you can better protect yourself and your livelihood.
A growing target
Canada’s agriculture industry plays a significant role in the national economy and food security. However, this is also what makes it such an appealing target for cybercriminals. And as your farm continues to embrace digital tools and becomes more connected, your need for cyber security increases.
Cyber threats, like ransomware, phishing, and AI-driven fraud, are becoming both more frequent and more sophisticated. And a single cyber incident can pack a punch — potentially disrupting your daily operations, causing financial losses, and damaging customer trust and your reputation.
But despite this increase in risk, an MNP report, Cyber security on the farm, found that only seven percent of farmers feel very knowledgeable about cyber security. And nearly 80 percent of Canadian farms lack an incident response plan.
This disconnect underscores the need for more awareness and understanding around cyberattacks and security.
Understanding cyber security
Unfortunately, awareness rarely keeps pace with the evolution of technology. But the first step toward protecting your farm operation is to deepen your understanding of cyber threats and what to look out for.
As mentioned above, only seven percent of respondents felt very knowledgeable about cyber security. However, knowledge levels varied by age. Most farmers, particularly between the ages of 35 and 54, ranked themselves as somewhat knowledgeable. This is likely because they likely actively use technology in day-to-day operations but are mostly focused on immediate priorities. Younger farmers tend to have better awareness, while older generations, who may rely less on technology, often believe they aren’t at high risk for an attack.
But farm size also matters. Limited resources and lack of dedicated IT support likely keep smaller farms less aware of cyber security, where larger farms have the resources to invest in technology, training, and safeguards.
That all being said, even if you’re only using email and a web browser, your farm is still a potential target.
The top four cyber threats for your farm
According to our survey, only nine percent of farmers believe their operation has been the victim of a cyberattack. But that number is likely far too low. Why? Because many cyberattacks are designed to go undetected. You might click on a fake invoice or reply to a seemingly normal vendor request without realizing something’s wrong.
Here are the four most common cyberattacks reported by Canadian farmers:
Phishing
At 39 percent, phishing is the most common attack for agriculture operations. And it’s often the most effective. Typically, phishing shows up as an email or a text message that looks real but isn’t. These messages might:
- Ask you to verify payment
- Pretend to be someone you know — like a supplier or a government agency
- Contain a link or an attachment that installs malware
The goal is to trick you into clicking a link, responding to the message, or giving up sensitive information.
Malware
As per our report, malware has been experienced by 25 percent of farmers who were impacted by a cyberattack. Malware is a software that sneaks into your systems through infected links, downloads, or USB drives.
Once inside your system, it can:
- Monitor your activity
- Access your passwords and financial information
- Slow down or even crash your devices
Ransomware
At 13 percent, ransomware ranks up there with the top cyberattacks against Canadian farms. This type of threat typically exfiltrates sensitive data, locks down your files and systems until you pay a ransom — essentially holding your data, sensitive information, and infrastructure hostage.
A ransomware attack can be devastating to a farm operation, especially if they freeze your:
- Feeding, ventilation or irrigation systems
- Accounting of payroll systems
- Inventory or customer databases
And even if you pay the cybercriminals, there’s no way to guarantee you’ll regain access to your files and systems.
Password attacks
Also coming in at 13 percent, password attacks are tied for the third most common cyberattack against farm operations. These attacks rely on guessing or stealing your login credentials. And once they’re in, these criminals can:
- Gain access to your banking and email accounts
- Lock you out
- Pose as you to scam others
Reused or weak passwords make it easier for attackers to gain access. And make it harder for you to stop them in the first place.
The common thread
What do most cyberattacks have in common? They rely on human error.
According to Mimecast’s State of Human Risk Report, around 95 percent of global organizations expect cyber security incidents in 2025 to involve someone clicking the wrong thing, repeatedly using the same weak password, or trusting the wrong message. Plus, farmers are busy — it’s understandable that cyber threats may be the last thing on your mind when you’re juggling equipment, labour shortages, and unpredictable weather.
That’s why social engineering tactics, like phishing emails and business email compromises, remain the most common threat to agriculture operations.
So, what’s the next step?
The good news? A little awareness and training can go a long way. Farms of all sizes and farmers of all ages must prioritize knowledge, proactive planning, and resilience.
Even simple safeguards, like developing an incident response plan and implementing some basic cyber security measures, can go a long way in reducing risks. The cost of inaction, on the other hand, is steep. Not only could your farm face financial losses but it also holds the potential to disrupt food supply chains.
A good place to start is to focus on the 80/20 rule — meaning that 80 percent of risk can be reduced by address 20 percent of the most common vulnerabilities. For a farm operation, that may look like verifying communication details (like email sender information), not clicking on suspicious links, turning on multi-factor authentication (MFA), and making sure your systems are regularly updated.
MNP has your back
One of the best ways to raise your awareness of cyberthreats is with a cyber security training program. Because if you don’t know what you’re looking for, how can you protect your farm from it?
Reach out to our experienced advisors today and learn how to get started on a tailored training program that works for you and your farm.
Eugene Ng , BComm, CISSP, PCI QSA, ISO 27001 LA
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