World’s Largest Meatpacking Company Reportedly Targeted By Russian Hackers, Forced To Shut Down Plants

The JBS meatpacking company was reportedly targeted by Russian hackers over the weekend, forcing it to shut down operations in North America and Australia.

JBS’s servers were breached May 30, it announced in a Monday press release. The White House said the hackers demanded a ransom. As a result, the company was forced to temporarily shut down meatpacking plants in Colorado, Nebraska, Texas, Alberta, Canada and Queensland, Australia.

JBS produces one-fourth of the United States’ beef and one-fifth of the country’s pork, according to The Wall Street Journal. The Sao Paulo, Brazil-based company sold more than $50 billion in meat products in 2020, according to MarketScreener.