Securing Critical Infrastructure: Cybersecurity for Food and Agriculture Systems

Listen to this Post

Featured Image

Introduction

The food and agriculture sector is increasingly reliant on digital systems, making it a prime target for cyber threats. Operational Technology (OT) and Industrial Control Systems (ICS) in agriculture require robust security measures to prevent disruptions. This article explores key cybersecurity practices, commands, and hardening techniques to protect critical infrastructure.

Learning Objectives

  • Understand key cybersecurity risks in agriculture and food supply chains.
  • Learn essential Linux/Windows commands for securing OT/ICS environments.
  • Implement best practices for vulnerability mitigation in critical infrastructure.

1. Securing Industrial Control Systems (ICS) in Agriculture

Command: Disable Unnecessary Services in Windows (ICS Hosts)

Stop-Service -Name "Spooler" -Force 
Set-Service -Name "Spooler" -StartupType Disabled 

What This Does:

  • Stops and disables the Print Spooler service, a common attack vector in Windows-based ICS systems.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Open PowerShell as Administrator.

  1. Run the commands above to stop and disable the service.

3. Verify with `Get-Service -Name “Spooler”`.

2. Hardening Linux-Based SCADA Systems

Command: Restrict Root Login via SSH

sudo sed -i 's/PermitRootLogin yes/PermitRootLogin no/g' /etc/ssh/sshd_config 
sudo systemctl restart sshd 

What This Does:

  • Prevents direct root SSH access, reducing brute-force attack risks.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Edit `/etc/ssh/sshd_config`.

2. Ensure `PermitRootLogin no` is set.

3. Restart SSH: `sudo systemctl restart sshd`.

3. Detecting OT Network Intrusions

Command: Monitor Network Traffic with tcpdump

sudo tcpdump -i eth0 -w ot_traffic.pcap 

What This Does:

  • Captures network traffic for analysis, helping detect anomalies in OT environments.

Step-by-Step Guide:

  1. Install `tcpdump` if missing (sudo apt install tcpdump).

2. Run the command to log traffic.

3. Analyze with Wireshark or `tshark`.

4. Securing PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers)

Command: Change Default Credentials on Siemens PLCs

 Using Python with Snap7 library 
import snap7 
client = snap7.client.Client() 
client.connect('192.168.1.10', 0, 1)  Replace with PLC IP 
client.set_session_password('NEW_STRONG_PASSWORD') 

What This Does:

  • Modifies default PLC credentials to prevent unauthorized access.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Install `python-snap7`.

  1. Replace the PLC IP and set a strong password.

5. Mitigating Ransomware in Food Processing Plants

Command: Restrict SMB Protocol (Windows)

Set-SmbServerConfiguration -EncryptData $true -Force 
Disable-WindowsOptionalFeature -Online -FeatureName "SMB1Protocol" 

What This Does:

  • Enables SMB encryption and disables vulnerable SMBv1.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Run PowerShell as Admin.

2. Execute commands to harden SMB.

6. API Security for AgriTech Platforms

Command: Test API Security with OWASP ZAP

docker run -v $(pwd):/zap/wrk -t owasp/zap2docker zap-api-scan.py -t https://api.agritech.com -f openapi 

What This Does:

  • Scans AgriTech APIs for vulnerabilities using OWASP ZAP.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Install Docker.

2. Run the scan against your API endpoint.

7. Cloud Hardening for Farm Management Systems

Command: Enable AWS GuardDuty for Anomaly Detection

aws guardduty create-detector --enable --finding-publishing-frequency FIFTEEN_MINUTES 

What This Does:

  • Activates AWS GuardDuty to monitor malicious activity in cloud-based farm systems.

Step-by-Step Guide:

1. Ensure AWS CLI is configured.

2. Run the command to enable GuardDuty.

What Undercode Say

  • Key Takeaway 1: OT/ICS systems in agriculture are high-value targets; disabling unnecessary services reduces attack surfaces.
  • Key Takeaway 2: Regular traffic monitoring and API security scans prevent supply chain disruptions.

Analysis:

The food and agriculture sector’s reliance on automation makes cybersecurity a necessity, not an option. Attacks on irrigation systems, food processing plants, and supply chain APIs can lead to catastrophic disruptions. Implementing these commands and best practices ensures resilience against evolving threats.

Prediction

As AgriTech adoption grows, ransomware and state-sponsored attacks on food supply chains will increase. Proactive hardening of ICS, cloud systems, and APIs will be critical to safeguarding global food security.

Further Resources:

IT/Security Reporter URL:

Reported By: Demoranvillekristin Criticalinfrastructure – Hackers Feeds
Extra Hub: Undercode MoN
Basic Verification: Pass ✅

Join Our Cyber World:

💬 Whatsapp | 💬 Telegram