Harden Process Control Systems to Meet Growing Threats (Download)
In 2023, a South Carolina poultry processing plant was hit by what authorities believe was an insider attack by a disgruntled former employee. The consequences were substantial with routine chemical treatments disrupted, risking quality control and basic food safety.
That incident, still being investigated, was apparently conducted as a “cyberattack” via networked computers and high-level programs. However, many processing facilities have vulnerabilities that extend to the device level, where an accident or a deliberate act of sabotage could cause subtle or very serious damage, in many cases with a low likelihood of detection.