Fairlife has temporarily stopped producing its milk in the United States after a cyberattack, the company said.
A portion of Fairlife’s systems were accessed by an unauthorized third party in a “ransomware event,” parent company Coca-Cola said in a statement on July 16.
The milk brand said it notified law enforcement and is continuing to investigate the incident, but has temporarily suspended production in the United States.
Fairlife also said its product quality and safety have not been affected.
“The full scope, nature and impacts of the incident are not yet known,” the company’s statement said.
It’s unclear if the production disruption will impact the supply of milk in stores. Coca-Cola did not provide any additional information when contacted by USA TODAY.
What We Know So Far
In light of the attack, Fairlife, which also operates in Canada, said only its U.S. production has been impacted.
“The company is working diligently to complete the investigation and restore the systems and impacted operations,” its statement said.
Ransomware is a type of malicious software that restricts access to computer files, systems, or networks, according to the FBI.
Perpetrators of a ransomware attack also demand a ransom payment for the return of computer access.
Melina Khan is a national trending reporter for USA TODAY. Reporting by Melina Khan, USA TODAY / USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect.
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