Australia chicken processor Hazeldenes hit by cyberattack

Production astatine Australia poultry radical Hazeldenes has been disrupted by a cyberattack.

In an update connected its website contiguous (25 February), Hazeldenes said the concern has “started a phased attack to instrumentality to accumulation which volition guarantee our operations are restored safely and securely”.

Hazeldenes, which sold a bulk involvement to section private-equity steadfast BGH Capital successful 2021, said it started to respond to what it called a “cybersecurity incident” past Thursday (19 February).

“Hazeldenes instantly started taking steps to incorporate the incident, engaged outer cyber-security experts, and notifying applicable authorities,” the institution said. “The probe into this substance is ongoing.”

The concern operates farms, hatcheries and processing facilities astatine much than 50 sites crossed Victoria and supplies branded and private-label chickenhearted products to “major” supermarket chains and different retailers, according to BGH Capital’s website.

BGH Capital said Hazeldenes processes astir 900,000 birds a week and produces much than 85 cardinal kilograms of chickenhearted a year.

Australian broadcaster ABC reported pubs and butchers successful Victoria person experienced a shortage of chickenhearted linked to the incident, though Hazeldenes has not quantified the interaction connected customers.

“We are moving with partners to reconstruct impacted operations and recognize what has happened,” the institution said today.

“We apologise for this disruption and immoderate interest it whitethorn person caused. If immoderate information has been impacted, we volition notify impacted individuals arsenic required.”

The Hazeldene family, which retained a number involvement aft the BGH Capital deal, acceptable up the concern successful 1938. It is described arsenic “one of Australia’s largest afloat integrated poultry producers”.

Hazeldenes’ lawsuit marks a fig of caller cyberattacks connected nutrient businesses astir the globe, the astir salient of which has been Japanese radical Asahi, which archetypal reported an incidental successful September.

Disruptions were besides reported astatine US-based market wholesaler and retailer United Natural Foods (UNFI) past summer, portion a tract successful Germany operated by dairy elephantine Arla Foods was besides hit.

South African poultry large Astral Foods went truthful acold arsenic to contented a nett informing past outpouring linked to a cybersecurity breach.

Over successful Canada a fewer years back, nutrient processor Maple Leaf Foods rejected a ransom request pursuing a cyberattack successful 2022.

"Australia chickenhearted processor Hazeldenes deed by cyberattack" was primitively created and published by Just Food, a GlobalData owned brand.

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