Food Security and Cyber Warfare: Vulnerabilities, Implications and Resilience-building

Abstract

This paper examines cyber security readiness in the food sector, considers whether this sector could potentially be targeted as part of a future cyber warfare attack, and discusses why the sector may be vulnerable to attack, the implications of such an attack, and potential routes for enhancing its cyber resilience. The food sector is recognised as a part of critical national infrastructure, and academic literature has reviewed some of the cyber security risks associated with the use of agricultural sensors, the emergence of ‘Agriculture 4.0, and the use of computer systems across the food production supply chain. However, the field of ‘food security’ studies does not yet feature a sustained focus on cyber security, and only a few studies in cyber security have considered the wider implications of cyber vulnerabilities for the sector. Moreover, the emergence of offensive cyber weapons raises the prospect that such weapons could in future be used to target food systems. Although International Humanitarian Law prohibits the targeting of the civilian food supply, it cannot be guaranteed that this supply is not impacted by cyber warfare attacks in the future. The paper draws from a recent systematic literature review as well as from relevant areas of scholarship to present a preliminary analysis of possible cyber vulnerabilities in the food sector and policy recommendations.