Cyberattacks Are Targeting the Food Industry

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Small food businesses are the heart of New York—whether it’s a local bakery in Queens, a deli in Brooklyn, or a family-run catering company in the Bronx. But while the industry thrives on flavor, speed, and service, cybercriminals see something else: vulnerability.
Recent data shows a dramatic surge in cyberattacks on food and beverage businesses, and too many SMBs are unprepared. If your company uses point-of-sale systems, online ordering, or digital supply-chain tools, you’re already on the radar.

Why Hackers Are Targeting Food Businesses

• High-Value Disruption Potential
  Ransomware actors know that even a brief outage in refrigeration controls or order-entry systems can force operators to halt production, spoil inventory, and lose revenue. This high-stakes environment makes food businesses more likely to pay quickly to resume operations.
• Complex Supply Chains
  Food and beverage SMBs depend on a web of suppliers, delivery partners, equipment technicians, and software platforms. Attackers often breach smaller third-party vendors first, then “pivot” into larger systems—exploiting trust relationships to escalate the attack.
• Under-Resourced IT Teams
  Most food businesses invest in ingredients, staffing, and customer experience—not cybersecurity. That means many run on outdated software, lack segmented networks, and have no formal incident response plans in place. These gaps make them ideal targets.

Real-World Examples of Food Industry Cyberattacks

• A major UK supermarket chain was hit with a credential-based attack that led to service disruptions in over 2,000 stores.
• A global poultry producer faced multi-million-dollar losses after a breach affected its operations and profitability.
• A regional grocery chain’s refrigeration and inventory systems were locked by ransomware—forcing them to toss perishable goods.

These weren’t just “big company” problems—attackers are moving downmarket, and New York SMBs are directly in the crosshairs.

If You Run a Food Business, Ask Yourself:

• Are your POS systems and tablets up to date and secure?
• Do you have a plan if your ordering or refrigeration system goes down?
• Are your employees trained to spot phishing emails or fake support calls?
• Is your customer or payment data encrypted and backed up securely?

Steps You Can Take Today

1. Train Your Staff
   The most common way attackers get in is still phishing. Staff should know how to spot suspicious emails or links—and what to do if they slip up.
2. Update and Patch Devices
   POS systems, printers, mobile devices—if it connects to your network, it needs security updates.
3. Segment Your Network
   Keep your kitchen systems separate from your office and guest Wi-Fi.
4. Back Up Everything
   Especially customer orders, payment data, and critical recipes. Store backups offsite or in secure cloud environments.
5. Demand Cybersecurity from Your Vendors
   Your business is only as secure as the companies you rely on. Require your POS providers, food distributors, equipment technicians, and delivery partners to follow basic cybersecurity standards—like multi-factor authentication (MFA), data encryption, and regular security audits. If they’re connected to your network or have access to your data, they should be protecting it too.
6. Have a Cyber Incident Response Plan
   If ransomware hits, you’ll have minutes—not hours—to act. A good response plan outlines who does what, what systems get shut down, how to communicate with staff and customers, and when (or if) to pay a ransom. Don’t forget offsite or cloud-based backups that are tested regularly—you’ll need them to recover quickly and confidently.

Don’t Wait Until It’s Too Late
At CDML Computer Services, we help New York food businesses stay ahead of evolving threats with cybersecurity solutions built for the real world. Whether you run a single location or a growing chain, we’ll help you protect your operations, your customers, and your reputation.

🔐 Learn more about our cybersecurity services

Cybercriminals don’t care how good your pizza is or how many five-star reviews you’ve earned. But we do! Let’s make sure your food stays hot, your systems stay secure, and your business keeps thriving.

Stay safe. Stay informed.

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