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Please review and share the attached information with your agriculture constituents<br>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>Ethan Orr, DBH, MPA</strong></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Associate Director </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Agriculture, Natural Resources and Economic Development </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Arizona Cooperative Extension</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Associate Professor, Agriculture Education Technology and Innovation</p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Interim Director </p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">Santa Cruz County Cooperative Extension </p>
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<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong><em>The </em></strong><strong>UNIVERSITY <em>of</em> ARIZONA</strong> ∙ <a href="x-apple-data-detectors://0" dir="ltr" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="address" x-apple-data-detectors-result="0" style="-webkit-text-decoration-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.258824);">1401
East University Boulevard</a> ∙ </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><a href="x-apple-data-detectors://1/0" dir="ltr" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="address" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1/0" style="-webkit-text-decoration-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.258824); background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">Tucson,
Arizona 85721</font></a></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><strong>O</strong> <a href="tel:520.621.0906" dir="ltr" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="telephone" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1/1" style="-webkit-text-decoration-color: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.258824);">520.621.0906</a> ∙ <strong>F</strong> 520.621.6259∙ <span style="text-decoration: underline;">email<a href="mailto:eorr@email.arizona.edu" dir="ltr" x-apple-data-detectors="true" x-apple-data-detectors-type="link" x-apple-data-detectors-result="1/2" style="-webkit-text-decoration-color: rgba(0, 0, 255, 0.258824);">eorr@email.arizona.edu</a></span></span></p>
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<p align="center" style="text-align:center"><strong><span style="font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:red">External Email</span></strong><o:p></o:p></p>
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<h1 style="mso-margin-top-alt:7.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:8.05pt;margin-left:0in">
<span style="font-size:27.0pt;font-family:Merriweather;color:#434343">FBI Puts Ag on Alert: Ransomware Attack Potentially Timed to Critical Seasons<o:p></o:p></span></h1>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343"><img border="0" width="840" height="600" style="width:8.75in;height:6.25in" id="_x0000_i1025" src="https://fj-corp-pub.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/styles/840x600/public/2022-01/scoop-Cubbage-malware-skull-email.jpg?itok=6Pp7eo6v" alt="Farmers and ag cooperative need to be on high alert this spring. That’s according to the FBI, which is predicting cyber criminals might attack the industry during planting and harvest." data-unique-identifier=""></span><span style="font-size:9.0pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Farmers
and ag cooperative need to be on high alert this spring. That’s according to the FBI, which is predicting cyber criminals might attack the industry during planting and harvest. (The Scoop)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#999999">By <a href="https://www.thepacker.com/authors/sara-schafer" target="_blank"><b><span style="color:#009444;text-transform:uppercase">SARA SCHAFER</span></b></a> April 21,
2022<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Farmers and ag cooperative employees need to be on high alert this spring. That’s <a href="https://www.ic3.gov/Media/News/2022/220420-2.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color:#009444">according
to the FBI</span></a>, which is predicting cyber criminals might attack the industry during planting and harvesting seasons. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Why? Cyber criminals believe their prey could be more vulnerable and willing to pay off the extortion.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Since 2021, FBI reports multiple agricultural cooperatives have been impacted by a variety of ransomware variants:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">In March 2022, a multi-state grain company suffered a Lockbit 2.0 ransomware attack. In addition to grain processing, the company provides seed, fertilizer,
and logistics services, which are critical during the spring planting season. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">In February 2022, a company providing feed milling and other agricultural services reported two instances in which an unauthorized actor gained access to
some of its systems and may have attempted to initiate a ransomware attack. The attempts were detected and stopped before encryption occurred. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Between Sept. 15 and Oct. 6, 2021, six grain cooperatives experienced ransomware attacks. A variety of ransomware variants were used, including Conti, BlackMatter,
Suncrypt, Sodinokibi, and BlackByte. Some targeted entities had to completely halt production while others lost administrative functions. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">In July 2021, a business management software company found malicious activity on its network, which was later identified as HelloKitty/Five Hands ransomware.
The threat actor demanded a $30 million ransom. The ransomware attack on the company led to secondary ransomware infections on a number of its clients, which included several agricultural cooperatives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">These attacks resulted in service issues, production disruptions and loss of access to administrative functions.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p style="margin:0in"><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">In <a href="https://www.ic3.gov/Media/News/2022/220420-2.pdf" target="_blank"><span style="color:#009444">a public advisory</span></a>, federal officials say a major disruption
of grain production would impact the entire food chain.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<h3 style="margin-bottom:7.5pt"><span style="font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">What You Can Do<o:p></o:p></span></h3>
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<span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">The FBI is asking those in agriculture to take defensive measures against the potential threat. Those steps include: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Regularly back up data, air gap and passwords. Make backup copies offline. Ensure copies of critical data are not accessible for modification or deletion
from the system where the data resides. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Implement a recovery plan that includes maintaining and retaining multiple copies of sensitive or proprietary data and servers in a physically separate, segmented,
secure location (i.e., hard drive, storage device, the cloud). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Identify critical functions and develop an operations plan if systems go offline. Think about ways to operate manually if it becomes necessary. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Implement network segmentation. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Install updates/patch operating systems, software and firmware as soon as they are released.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Use multifactor authentication where possible. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Use strong passwords and regularly change passwords to network systems and accounts, implementing the shortest acceptable timeframe for password changes.
Avoid reusing passwords for multiple accounts and use strong pass phrases where possible. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Require administrator credentials to install software. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Audit user accounts with administrative or elevated privileges and configure access controls with least privilege in mind. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Install and regularly update anti-virus and anti-malware software on all hosts. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Only use secure networks and avoid using public Wi-Fi networks. Consider installing and using a virtual private network (VPN). <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Consider adding an email banner to messages coming from outside your organizations. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Disable hyperlinks in received emails. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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</span></span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Montserrat;color:#434343">Focus on cyber security awareness and training. Regularly provide users with training on information security principles and techniques as well as overall
emerging cybersecurity risks and vulnerabilities (i.e. ransomware and phishing scams).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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