Candy Maker Hit By Ransomware During Halloween Rush

Exploit: Ransomware
Company: Ferrara Candy Company
Industry: Food and Beverage, Manufacturer
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/leemathews/2021/10/20/candy-makers-operations-disrupted-by-ransomware-with-halloween-just-around-the-corner/?sh=72c30fe1d5c3

The troubling trend of threat actors targeting organizations during their busiest times of the year continues as hackers victimized the Ferrara Candy Company just one week away from Halloween. Ferrara’s IT systems have been encrypted with ransomware as they now struggle to fill their customers’ orders.

In a statement, company officials mentioned they have sought the help of third-party cyber security experts to help restore their systems. Further details of how the incident occurred have yet to be released with the main focus on filling as many customer orders as possible before Halloween.

The candy maker is home to many well-known brands such as SweeTarts, Nerds and Red Hots, making them an appealing mark for ransomware during the Halloween season. The opportunity for cyber attacks increases when organizations are at their peak seasonal times when staff can be easily distracted or too busy to notice any suspicious activity. By successfully deploying ransomware during such times, cyber criminals are hoping organizations will be more susceptible to paying higher ransom demands and doing so with haste in order to get their systems back up and running.