With computers and technology playing an increasingly important role in the everyday business of running a farm enterprise today, farmers should be highly vigilant in ensuring that they keep both their farm and personal data safe.

This is a key message from agricultural services provider Ifac, which notes that, in its 2021 Irish Farm Report, almost 80% of farmers surveyed now use technology in their business every day.

The firm notes that, while this brings advantages, it also introduces digital and cyber risks that farmers need to understand and manage - with financial losses and the leaking of confidential data being two of the major worries farmers face.

Commenting, Philip O’Connor, head of farm support at Ifac, said: “As more farms rely on email, online banking, apps, e-commerce and automated farming equipment, it is vital to manage the risks associated with these technologies."

In the UK, the National Farmer's Union (NFU) and National Cyber Security Centre recently published a guide outlining the practical steps that farmers can take to stay safe online and protect and their businesses.

Taking note, Ifac itself outlined some suggested measures including keeping systems updated, using strong passwords, maintaining regular backups, controlling access to accounts and devices, avoiding malware and being vigilant about scams:

Two more elements of particular importance to farmers include passwords and social media, Ifac states.

Looking firstly at passwords, the company highlights that criminals take advantage of a lot of people using simple passwords and/or use the same password for all of their accounts.

To counter this, Ifac advises to make sure that you use separate passwords for each of your devices and online accounts, especially email accounts. Wherever possible, make the password strong and for your most important accounts, make it unique.

Consider using a password manager. For every new device you start using, including your Wi-Fi network, change the manufacturer’s default password to your own. If you write down your passwords, store them securely, away from your device, the agri-services firm stresses.

Looking lastly at social media and online presence, Ifac highlighted to ensure you don’t allow the information you and your employees share online to increase the vulnerability of your business.

When using social media think about what you are posting, and who has access to it.

Use privacy options to control who can see your information. Control who can access your accounts and make sure all accounts have unique passwords and use 2FA.

Check that your website host is a legitimate company with the correct security settings and also think about the protection you might need if you have an online shop or booking system.

The Department of Agriculture, your bank, and other official sources will never ask you to supply personal information in an email or text, so be vigilant against any such messages, Ifac concludes.