Between February and April 2025, GreenFields Farming Inc. suffered a crippling ransomware assault that encrypted critical operational files, disrupted harvest schedules, and halted processing lines at multiple facilities during peak seasonal production. The attackers exploited unpatched VPN services and insecure RDP configurations to deliver a PowerShell-based payload via phishing emails purporting to contain agricultural invoices. Once inside the network, the malware established persistence through registry modifications and scheduled tasks before locking down key databases and machinery control systems. Production was suspended for days, resulting in spoilage of perishable goods, missed delivery deadlines to major distributors, and breach of contractual obligations. The company incurred direct ransom demands totaling $600,000 and faced over $2 million in recovery costs, including forensic investigations, system rebuilds, and legal fees. Additionally, reputational damage among retail partners and financial penalties for delayed shipments compounded the loss, while emergency provisioning of backup systems and manual workflows stretched resources thin and threatened the firm’s operational stability.
Source: https://cybersecuritynews.com/ransomware-attacks-against-food-agriculture-industry-doubled/
"id": "gre845050725",
"linkid": "green-field-farms-co-op",
"type": "Ransomware",
"date": "5/2025",
"severity": "100",
"impact": "5",
"explanation": "Attack threatening the organization’s existence"