29 August 2024
Dominic Norton, sales director, Spitfire Network Services Ltd.
Until recently, it was relatively straightforward to keep a farm secure. Farmers relied on physical barriers and isolated systems, and traditional methods, such as fencing, locked gates, and the use of basic alarms, were the norm.
Today’s agricultural operations have, however, evolved dramatically. Modern farms rely on IP-based security systems, integrated and interconnected, capable of remote management and often reliant on the internet. This provides necessary flexibility and scalability, but also introduces new vulnerabilities.
How today’s security systems function on farms
The shift to IP-based systems has transformed how farmers monitor, control, and secure their operations. This transformation is fuelled by the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT), allowing a wide range of interconnected devices, offering unprecedented control and monitoring capabilities.
Modern agricultural security systems integrate various components into a cohesive network, including video surveillance, access control, and environmental monitoring. Video surveillance using HD cameras can monitor livestock, crop fields, and farm storage areas, providing real-time feeds, accessible from anywhere. Smart locks provide better managed access control to restricted areas. Sensors measure and detect temperature, humidity, and other environmental changes.
These modern capabilities offer clear benefits, from the reduced need for constant human monitoring to comprehensive visibility of large farm areas and the ability to quickly detect anomalies such as unauthorised entry or hazards – fires, floods, or equipment failures. Meanwhile, centralised control through cloud platforms makes managing security across multiple locations more efficient.
However, new challenges arise. IP-based systems, while powerful, are also vulnerable to cyberattacks. Hackers can exploit these systems to gain unauthorised access, disrupt operations, or steal sensitive information.
Common vulnerabilities that can be leveraged in agricultural IP-based systems include using default usernames and passwords; lack of network segmentation; open ports; wireless connections; and outdated firmware and cryptography.
Attacks are also becoming more sophisticated, leveraging AI/ML to identify weaknesses. AI tools can quickly scan and identify vulnerabilities in farm security systems, adapting strategies dynamically to bypass defences; or AI-powered drones could be used maliciously to gather information on farm layouts, security camera blind spots, and entry points, providing attackers with detailed information to plan their breaches.
A security breach can lead to unauthorised access to live and archived video feeds, compromising the privacy and security of farm operations. Hackers can also take control of operational technology, potentially causing physical damage or disrupting critical processes such as irrigation, feeding schedules, and temperature control.
In this landscape, it’s essential to proactively address vulnerabilities by regularly reviewing and managing the network’s attack surface – the weak links in your systems which are most likely to be exploited by an attacker. It’s also important to understand just how your devices are connected.
One of the biggest challenges here is that as the scale of your networks grows, so does the complexity involved in updating, managing, and supporting them. Each additional device introduces new potential vulnerabilities which require meticulous security planning and ongoing management and updates to maintain high levels of cybersecurity resiliency.
The solution?
Given these challenges, a strong and effective solution is needed to improve farm security installations and reduce vulnerabilities.
Exposure to the public internet is at the heart of these vulnerabilities, necessitating a network solution that connects unlimited devices, systems, locations, and applications without this exposure. A fully secure, private network with fast, easy connection, control and communication between all devices introduces several key benefits for farms, including enhanced security; simplified management; and flexibility in deployment.
The best of both worlds
The transition from isolated, standalone security systems to interconnected networks has increased security capabilities for farmers but also introduced new risks. With secure, private networks now a realistic option for agricultural businesses, it’s possible to leverage solutions that offer all the features and functionality of modern installations, without their vulnerabilities.
