"Horticulture is an interesting sector for hackers"

short it does get very hot in the greenhouse . The grow pipe is likely heating up at maximum and the window are closed . The silver screen system does not seem to respond to the sunshine and the irrigation is set to zero . The climate computing machine no longer responds to adjustment , instead giving an unknown message . surety . Pay up , or you wo n’t retrieve ascendency of your glasshouse . This scenario may seem far - fetched , but at the same time it is not unimaginable . Horticulture is at the forefront of using forward-looking technologies and that simultaneously makes the sector a target for hackers . The data and knowledge of suppliers , grower and stock breeder also attract the tending of malicious parties . Marco van Loosen and Patrick Dankers of Priva explain what is going on and how it is potential that the horticultural industry is simultaneously the most modern in the world , but also somewhat naif when it comes to cyber certificate .

Digital espionage from the East , a Dutch newspaper headlined last month . Ransomware onset posture a risk of exposure to Dutch companies , according to various cybersecurity companies . Last week Dutch science brass NWO was in the news : it was extorted by hackers . Their web was taken surety and because they did not pay off a ransom money , confidential selective information was discover on the dark web . According to Marco van Loosen , these are terror that the horticultural sector must also be aware of . He started work as Information Security Lead at Priva last year . His fellow Patrick Dankers ( Portfolio Manager Horticulture ) explain that there are various ways in which hacking in gardening can be a hazard . Theft , for example , of technology .

Cloud solutions"We look the use of cloud solutions in horticulture to take off in the next five class . Then you’re able to think of sovereign cultivation , harvesting automaton , harvest prediction and the relate algorithmic rule , but also the knowledge of , for example , the breed companies . All technology that can be interesting for outsider , " says Patrick .

" On the other deal , you do n’t have much use for this data without know how it is used in practice , " adds Marco . " That also make the unconscious process data point from the greenhouses themselves a target . The combining between engineering and the unconscious process data move over the opportunity to be able to apply the knowledge elsewhere , or at least to be capable to catch up technologically in gardening . “A second threat that horticulture may confront is cybercriminals penetrating the greenhouse . " By adjusting parameters or mount or aim over users ' accounts , you could apparently cause a lot of damage . Then there may be hostage taking and asking for ransom money , but sometimes they are also just out to do harm . "

" Previous DDOS attacks on the government were also feel to have been carried out by an teen , " Patrick dedicate as an example . " But whoever is behind it , the fact remains that disruption of services is a risk that comes into drama , both topically and in the cloud . “Secure and modernThe fact that Priva , of all companies , has add up forwards with this may seem surprising . The company offers various avail that make it potential to control and optimise a crop via the cloud . Priva is happy to share entropy on how these solutions contribute to , for exercise , an independent glasshouse or scale up in the sector . " It ’s a shaky balance : we do n’t want to paint Judgment Day scenario or spread care , yet this is a topic that worry the full sphere . At the second there is a lot of focussing on the great opportunity and not on the risks . As Priva , we want to take the lead in make the sphere aware of the opportunity that cloud technology offers , but only if you use that beautiful technology properly and safely . By being alert and aware , we at Priva and our user can add to this , " say Patrick . Within Priva itself , data security is a high priority . Last year , Marco was enrol , who is working non - stop with a limited security measure team . When developing products and services , we mould on the basis of eff security rule , and security department is also given sufficient attention in new discharge . In addition , penetration tests are performed by ethical hackers . " We let them loose on our services and see where we can make improvement . First they are allow to prove and penetrate our systems from the exterior , and at a later leg we give them accession so that they can also identify any security weaknesses from the customer ’s point of view . finding are assess and resolved . This sort of two-fold examination keep us on our toes and earmark us to continuously increase the security degree of our systems . "

Password on a post - itThere is also oeuvre to be done at a much more basic level , at the companies themselves . " There is a large group of customer who are serious about cybersecurity , but we also recognize the sphere as one in which security is manage somewhat naively . That really starts with the cliché case : companies where the watchword is attached to a figurer screen with a post - it , where the Wi - Fi web for guests has had the same password for years or is not separated from the other networks . It might finish up with a grower who can control the greenhouse with his iPhone through Priva Operator , but does n’t imagine about how to handle the security measures of his earphone . "

" As Priva , we do everything we can with our cloud platform to protect that cognition and mental process data : the data remains with the customer and it is only under Priva ’s control condition . To cover doing that safely , we are now turning on two - stage security by default for unexampled users of our swarm service , " Marco continue . " In doing so , we help companies make the veracious choice in this regard . We also ensure that live company news report can be used to access our platform so that rights can be well assigned and off , for exemplar when employees leave the company . And we also ask fellowship to think about the security of their systems themselves . Is there someone responsible for IT ? Is there someone who on a regular basis checks and monitors everything ? "

hear money paid"From a historical position , hack is plainly not an crucial subject for this sector , because it is comparatively new . We now see that big thespian are more engaged in it - perhaps also because read money has already been pay , " Patrick continues . Marco adds : " we are therefore working with the security system team of these gravid players to okay - melody the security department requirements . But companies that do not employ specialists themselves can also choose to outsource part of their IT surety . "

For growers , it is usually really not necessary to set up a all over security team themselves as well . " But cultivator sometimes wonder what they have to hide , or what can go wrong . If someone unnoticed is in your organisation and has access to physical process data , for model . But also , growers have their own way of grow a tomato , Cucumis sativus or rose in the best possible mode . Their own cognition is all in the organization and that has been developed and refined over the years . You do n’t require a hacker to get hold of this , but neither do you want your neighbor or competition to have access to it . At the same time , of course , you require to take advantage of the raw hypothesis of this technology , which is certainly potential if we as a sector give certificate sufficient anteriority . "

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