Coca Cola's Fairlife subsidiary shut down by ransomware

[samhexum]

A ransomware attack has curdled Coca-Cola’s dairy operations.

In a disclosure filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission this week, the multinational giant said its Fairlife dairy company was hit by a ransomware attack, affecting its production systems and temporarily suspending Fairlife’s operations across the U.S..

The beverage company confirmed that the attack hit its Fairlife dairy subsidiary, forcing the beverage giant to shut down U.S. production operations for the foreseeable future.

Since acquiring full ownership of Fairlife in 2020, Coca-Cola has seen substantial revenue gains from the brand. CEO James Quincey noted that Fairlife’s retail value grew from just $10 million in 2014 to nearly $4 billion last year.

That growth is part of what makes it such an appealing target for hackers. “Food and beverage manufacturers are becoming some of the more attractive ransomware targets because they sit at the intersection of critical infrastructure and downstream impact,” Gabrielle Hempel, the division chief of cybersecurity education and awareness at the United States Coast.

[shadowcatzxxx]

Shit! I'm addicted to Fairlife milks! Their skim tastes like regular mil (more or less); I use the 2% for coffee. Hope they get back online soon!

 

[samhexum]

14 minutes ago, shadowcatzxxx said:

Shit! I'm addicted to Fairlife milks! Their skim tastes like regular mil (more or less); I use the 2% for coffee. Hope they get back online soon!

 

 

Hempel said “If you stop producing beverages, dairy, or food for even just a few days, there are massive supply chain, retailer, inventory, and revenue disruptions.” 

For a manufacturing operation like Fairlife’s, getting back online isn’t as simple as flipping a switch. Shane Barney, chief information security officer at Keeper Security, explained the added complexity to Inc.

“Production systems depend on specialized hardware and software that wasn’t built for today’s threat landscape,” he noted. Resuming operations safely means validating process integrity, not just IT systems.”

[+ Pensant]

Never heard of that company.

[maninsoma]

18 minutes ago, Pensant said:

Never heard of that company.

I've seen it advertised a lot but have never purchased it.  It just looks like a high-priced "solution" to a problem that doesn't really exist.  Sure, because it is filtered it has more protein and less sugar than regular milk, but the difference isn't that significant unless you drink a lot of milk.  I don't know any adult who actually drinks milk apart from adding it to coffee or on cereal, so the few grams difference per cup doesn't seem that significant to me.  Besides, how many people in the USA are actually deficient on protein in their diets?

[Rayphactor]

2 minutes ago, maninsoma said:

I've seen it advertised a lot but have never purchased it.  It just looks like a high-priced "solution" to a problem that doesn't really exist.  Sure, because it is filtered it has more protein and less sugar than regular milk, but the difference isn't that significant unless you drink a lot of milk.  I don't know any adult who actually drinks milk apart from adding it to coffee or on cereal, so the few grams difference per cup doesn't seem that significant to me.  Besides, how many people in the USA are actually deficient on protein in their diets?

Ha! I'm one of them. Grew up on a family farm and been a milk drinker all my life. There is nothing like chilled, fresh milk from the bulk storage tank before the hauler comes to take it away for processing and pasteurization! Unfortunately, I developed a lactose intolerance later in life,  but I am able to drink ultra processed milk without issue because it is lactose-free. 

The Coca-Cola Company's investment in Fairlife has brought some great returns, so my portfolio appreciates it too!

On the cyber side, the Coca-Cola Company and its various independent bottling partners have been implicated in at least four distinct cyber incidents between 2022 and 2026. Losing production is going to be costly. They have got to beef up their third party risk management.