Are we doomed with digital?

A hacker at a recent conference in Las Vegas demonstrated his ability to get the 1993 video game Doom to play on a John Deere 4240 tractor control console. This latest hack follows a ransom-ware attack on AGCO - the manufacturer of brands such as MF, Fendt and Valtra - in May, that affected production, parts support and invoicing for up to two months.

John Deere, a leader in bringing digital technology to the farm, said the hack on its tractor was restricted to one machine and didn't pose any threat to the company's overall system. However, it is an embarrassing reminder that electronics remain vulnerable to outside interference.

Industry advisors point out that the JD company relies on what is considered outdated software to run the onboard systems. Chief among these is Windows CE, that is licensed to OEM's and will see support withdrawn in 2023.

In a telephone interview, the hacker ('Sick Codes') noted that he set out to investigate the vulnerability of the whole food supply chain infrastructure, because nobody else was doing so. He was not reassured by what he found.

Although there appears to be only one hacker bringing this to our attention, his ability to run an early version of Doom software on a consul that we are told is totally secure, suggests there may be an underlying problem. The fact that he was able to get around the software locks installed by John Deere's engineers should make any existing, or potential users, of such systems a little wary. As the demonstration showed, entry into systems and code changes are possible.

Installing and running software that comes from the early 1990s, as does Linux and Microsoft CE, enables the less tech-savvy to visualise the age of the software upon which many systems rely.

Those same insiders also claim that JD has incorporated open licence software into its operating systems and that by doing so it is contractually bound to make it public. Correct or not, it suggests that JD might be at risk of legal action for not complying with licence agreements - most likely from those fighting for the right to repair their own machines.

Of course, John Deere has been active in promoting digitisation, but at the same time, defending the practice of restricting the repair of tractors to its dealers, refusing external, non-authorised access to farmers or DIY mechanics.

Yet, JD is unlikely to be the only company that has this sort of software at the core of its systems and other manufacturers must be watching developments with alarm.

Given that 'Agriculture 4.0' is being touted as the digital roadway to transform farming into a data-driven and automated provider of food for the burgeoning population over the next decase, is it wise to place all our eggs in what appears to be a very leaky digital basket?