Cheese Under Siege: Ransomware Strikes Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery
Incident Date:
April 7, 2024
Overview
Title
Cheese Under Siege: Ransomware Strikes Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery
Victim
Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery
Attacker
Black Suit
Location
First Reported
April 7, 2024
Ransomware Attack on Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery
Company Overview
Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery, a renowned supplier of wholesale cheese and cheese curds based in Ellsworth, Wisconsin. The company commitment to quality and customer satisfaction has made them a preferred supplier for many local restaurants and a popular choice for consumers seeking high-quality natural foods. Recently, hey have been the target of the ransomware group Blacksuit.
Company Size
The company size of Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery is approximately 201-500 employees, as indicated in the LinkedIn profile. This is consistent with the information from Zoominfo, which lists 204 employees. The company is known for its cheese curd production, with 180 SKUs made at its Ellsworth facility, and offers a total of 552 SKUs including barrel cheese, processed cheese, specialty cheeses, and dairy ingredients.
Vulnerabilities
The ransomware attack on Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery underscores the importance of cybersecurity measures for businesses in the agriculture sector. As companies increasingly rely on technology for operations and customer engagement, they must be vigilant against cyber threats and invest in robust security measures to protect their digital assets. Mitigation strategies include educating employees on cybersecurity best practices, implementing strong passwords, enabling multi-factor authentication, updating and patching systems regularly, and establishing robust backup and disaster recovery plans.
Sources
- Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery: Buy Your Favorite Wisconsin Cheeses Online
- Wisconsin Department of Justice announces lawsuit against Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery
- Ransomware attack strikes City of Ellsworth
Ellsworth Cooperative Creamery:
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