Ransomware halts US production at Coca-Cola's Fairlife
Coca-Cola suspended US production at its Fairlife dairy unit after a ransomware attack and told the SEC it is still assessing the impact.
By Mira Castell · Published · Updated · 4 min read
Coca-Cola has suspended production at US facilities of its Fairlife dairy business after a ransomware attack, Cybersecurity Dive reports.
What we know
- Coca-Cola disclosed the attack in an SEC filing and is working to determine its full scope.
- It says product quality and safety are not affected.
- Fairlife's Canadian operations were not hit and remain open.
- No group has claimed the attack.
Fairlife makes ultra-filtered milk and protein shakes and passed $1 billion in annual retail sales in 2022. Coca-Cola announced a $650 million expansion of its Michigan facilities in March.
Why it matters
Food and agriculture companies have become frequent ransomware targets because production lines and perishable goods cannot wait. Every day offline means spoiled stock and empty shelves, which raises pressure to pay.
Lessons for manufacturers
- Separate factory systems from office IT so one breach cannot stop production.
- Keep offline backups and a tested plan for manual operations.
- Patch internet-facing systems and require multi-factor authentication for remote access.
