July 2022 - 7

Cybersecurity threats focus of Viva Fresh session
By Doug Ohlemeier
Assistant Editor
With agriculture highly dependent
on technology, growers must
prepare for and properly respond to
cyberattacks.
A record number of cyberattacks
occurred in 2021, said Greg Gatzke,
president and founder of ZAG
Technical Services. Gatzke discussed
threats of malicious attacks growers
face during an April 22 session at
the Viva Fresh Produce Expo in
Grapevine, Texas.
The Texas International Produce
Association presents the annual event.
Greg Gatzke, president of ZAG Technical Services, discusses cybersecurity threats growers
face during a session at the Viva Fresh Produce Expo in Dallas. Photos: Doug Ohlemeier
" We all know online networks are
super-critical infrastructure, " said
Gatzke, who heads the San Jose,
California IT consulting firm and
managed services provider. " Foreign
actors and foreign criminals are
coming after your business. If there's a
cyberattack, it will cost you something
like $4 million, maybe more. It's a big
number. It's far more serious than you
think it is. "
Because perishables can be affected
more by setbacks that affect the ability
of a company to quickly send products
through the supply chain, agriculture
is particularly vulnerable to attacks.
In late April, the Federal Bureau of
Investigation notified some producers
that criminal operations were targeting
the industry with ransomware attacks
on agricultural cooperatives and other
companies, Gatzke said. Grower
company owners, operators and board
members must be prepared, he said.
" They are coming directly after you
and are timing the attacks based on
the seasons, " he said. Criminals attack
businesses through phishing emails
and ransomware, the publishing of
stolen data.
In phishing attacks, scammers
pose as company owners, emailing
accountants that payments are due.
If successful, criminals gain access
not only to the company's email and
banking information, but also to the
company's suppliers.
Gatzke reviewed a case involving a
U.S. lettuce company that purchased
equipment from a manufacturer
in China. Hackers accessed the
vendor's account and sent an email
to the lettuce company stating it had
changed banks, directing a $30,000
down payment be paid to a new bank
account. The company made the
payment and soon found it had
been defrauded.
While the lettuce company was able
to talk its supplier into reducing the
price tag by $10,000, to $50,000, the
$30,000 loss was a major disruption
and jeopardized the company,
Gatzke said.
Agriculture is well behind the curve
in cybersecurity and isn't keeping up
with the risks, he said.
" It's not just your defense, but a
holistic view, " he said. " You have to
have a process in place with your
accountants (so) they will call you first
and not call the fake number. "
Businesses are starting to monitor
their vendors more closely, Gatzke
said. Losses also penetrate far
deeper than payments. With loss of
access to company PCs and servers,
including PCs in the fields and across
the country, a company loses its
manufacturing ability. Trucks can't
ship, forfeiting business. Add customer
disruptions, employee confusion,
reputation damage, unfavorable media
coverage plus potential litigation.
Using updated antivirus tools is
critical. Many company antivirus
systems are from the 1990s and remain
out of date. PCs often have antivirus
software that is more updated than
company servers, which won't catch
the modern attacks.
" PCs are the biggest risk for many
organizations, " said Gatzke. " Your
kids have security for their Google
accounts.
" Your kids should not be better
protected than your business. "
Backing up data remains critical, he
said. Personal identification, including
Social Security numbers, on servers
must be removed. If an HR person tells
a company owner such information
isn't on the company's servers, Gatzke
said not to trust the statement because
the HR person isn't lying, it's that they
don't know.
" Without preparation, you will pay, "
Gatzke said. " You should be able to
recover your data in 24 hours. If you
can't do that in this industry, you're
at risk. "
Multi-factor authentication should
be considered. " If you're not doing it,
you will get hacked which costs you
money. You will be way behind the
times, " he added. VGN
DALLAS VIVA FRESH EXPO ATTRACTS STRONG INTEREST
Rebounding from last year's COVID-affected
show, the 2022 Viva Fresh Produce Expo saw
strong attendance from growers and others in the
produce industry.
Sponsored by the Texas International Produce
Association (TIPA), the April 21-23 event in
Grapevine, Texas, attracted 2,200 attendees. The
attendees included 200 grower-shipper produce
exhibitors and nearly 400 retail-foodservicewholesaler
buyers, said Dante Galeazzi, TIPA's
president and chief executive officer.
Last year's attendance was half this year's, said
Galeazzi. About 52% of participants were growers.
" The Viva Fresh steering committee was
extremely pleased with the attendance and
participation throughout the show, " Galeazzi said.
" Attendees had a level of excitement that lasted
the entire show. It certainly feels like the industry
is embracing trade show participation again. "
The event is designed to promote the TexMex
corridor and bring growers, importers and
regional suppliers into contact with buyers who
want to expand their regional supplier network,
he said.
" Viva Fresh can be described as critical to
the industry, " said Jimmy Bassetti, president of
Little Bear Produce, an Edinburg, Texas grower
and shipper of Texas and Mexican fruits and
vegetables. " This show is the only show that
specifically highlights this corridor. "
While a handful of organizations still placed
limitations on travel or being present at large
gatherings, those restrictions were far fewer this
year, Galeazzi said.
Tommy Wilkins, director of sales and business development
with Grow Farms Texas LLC, McAllen, Texas, left, talks with
Dante Galeazzi, president and chief executive officer of the
Texas International Produce Association. TIPA's Viva Fresh
Expo saw strong grower participation.
Bassetti commended attendees for their
dedication to promoting healthy foods and
lifestyles through participating in Viva Fresh's
Clean Eating Challenge.
" Often, we wish to be something more than
what we are, " he said. " To be faster, smarter,
less stressed, stronger, healthier. But, to truly
grow as a person and improve who you are, look
for and embrace defining moments that will
impact not only your life, but those around you in
a profound way.
" This is the power of Viva Fresh, this is the
power of people in one of the greatest industries
on the planet. We grow fruits and vegetables -
literally powerful to mind, body and soul. "
- Doug Ohlemeier, assistant editor
VGN | JULY 2022 | 7

July 2022

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