Cybersecurity as a Matter of National Security

Business security, energy security, food security…national security. All one in the same.

While Iowa grain co-op, New Cooperative, may seem far removed from the capital of the U.S. government, a ransomware attack threatened food security of people in the Midwest. The event is not just a concern for local residents; the cyberattack, and its implications, are a concern for everyone across the nation.

A few months before the $5.9 million attack on New Cooperative, the world’s largest meatpacker based in Brazil, JBS, experienced a ransomware attack that disrupted meat production in North America and Australia during the height of grilling season. Prices of U.S. beef shipped to wholesale buyers increased more than 1%, according to USDA.

And it’s not just the agricultural sector that cybercriminals can target to cripple U.S. national security. In May, another ransomware attack hobbled Colonial Pipeline, interrupting fuel service for six days to large sections of the east coast. The oil pipeline finally paid $4.4 million for the decryption key.

Furthermore, certain industries are more heavily targeted for their widespread effects on broader swaths of the U.S. population. Markets with essential services face more threats and harbor greater responsibility in shoring up vulnerabilities.

Here are the top 10 most targeted industries and their most common form of cyberattack in 2020, according to 2021 X-Force Threat Intelligence Index.