Thought Leadership
A Swiss farmer has become the target of a hacker attack that not only paralyzed his computer systems but also had fatal consequences for one of his animals.
Vital Bircher, a dairy farmer from Hagendorn, experienced how modern technology can turn into a disaster. Hackers infiltrated his computer system, thereby disabling his milking robot and the vital data collection of his cows, as reported by the Luzerner Zeitung. It was a ransomware attack. The cybercriminals demanded $10,000 for decrypting the data, but Bircher hesitated to comply with this demand.
Although the milking robot continued to function offline, the critical vital data of the cows was no longer available. This led to a tragic event: Due to the missing data, Bircher could not recognize in time that a pregnant cow was in distress. The calf in the womb died, and the cow ultimately had to be euthanized.
The financial impact of the attack amounted to over 6,400 euros, mainly caused by veterinary costs and the purchase of a new computer. The hackers went away empty-handed despite their extortion attempt.
This incident shows the growing threat of cybercrime, even in traditional economic sectors such as agriculture. It also demonstrates in a tragic way the unexpected and potentially life-threatening consequences such attacks can have. Experts urgently advise farmers to review their digital security measures and develop emergency plans in case of a cyber attack. While the increasing digitalization in agriculture offers many benefits, it also makes the sector more vulnerable to such threats.
