Technology has expanded its reach, landing up at smart farming IoT solutions, and with its tagging along cybersecurity threats, from ransomware on milking robots to AI bioterrorism intimidation to destabilize food security and public health worldwide.
With Network and Information Systems Directive 2 (NIS2 Directive) in Europe and new United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) cyber-farming initiatives, governments are scrambling to protect automated tractors, drone crop monitors, and AI-based food distribution before any attack escalates into a hunger crisis.
Food is becoming more digital, but it’s also becoming a vulnerability where data control may soon mean control of global food consumption. From milking robots’ data and cloud connected tractors to automated storage and distribution systems, modern crop monitoring and smart farming using IoT are shaping the agriculture industry.
IoT based farming is now widespread, expanding the horizon for cybercriminals – and occasionally rival nations – to exploit. The consequences go beyond disrupted operations, exposing food security, public health, and global stability.
Whoever controls the information storyline may soon be controlling the food on everyone’s plates.
Despite the vital role of smart farming IoT in agriculture, cybersecurity in agriculture has long been overlooked. Much of the tech in use today was designed before cyber threats became widespread, leaving farms, processors, and retailers exposed.
The FBI has identified ransomware, foreign malware, data theft, and bioterrorism as top threats to US agriculture autonomous farming equipment IoT. Ransomware attacks alone doubled in early 2025, disrupting seed production and forcing costly crop relocations during extreme weather events.
From Farms to Grocery Stores Cyber Consequences
Even small climate-smart agriculture for food security operations is becoming defenseless.
A Swiss dairy farmer lost a pregnant cow after ransomware disabled his cloud-connected milking bot.
“Any farm equipment that we have that is connected to the cloud, which all farm equipment now a days is, has some measure of vulnerability from malware and the theft of data,” said FBI’s Omaha Field Office, Gene Kowel.
In the US, a cybersecurity breach at Stop & Shop triggered shortages across multiple stores, with Whole Foods facing a similar crisis. These incidents ripple through the entire supply chain, resulting in delayed deliveries, financial losses, and damaged public trust rather than focusing on smart farming IoT solutions.
When food storage systems go down, damage becomes a public health risk. Unlike other industries, food doesn’t want it to expire. Yet, many agribusinesses still rely on outdated software and untrained staff, with weak defenses against phishing and social engineering instead of working towards agricultural IoT solutions.
Towards Smart Farming Agriculture Embracing the IoT Vision
Governments are finally responding to the alarm that is spreading. In Europe, the NIS2 Directive now treats food systems as critical infrastructure. In the US, agriculture enjoys similar recognition, though protections remain largely voluntary.
The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has launched new resources, while the USDA’s National Farm Security Action Plan aims to shield American farms from foreign threats. Congressman Don Bacon has introduced two bills focused on updating the sector’s cyber defenses.
Still, experts warn that drones and sensors built with foreign tech, especially from China, could introduce hidden vulnerabilities. As geopolitical tensions rise, agriculture may become a favored target not just for profit, but for power.
In a future where wars may be fought with code instead of guns, securing smart farming IoT solutions might be just as important as securing our borders.
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