EU Deploys Advanced Cyber Defense System to Shield Critical Food Infrastructure
Brussels, Monday, 9 February 2026.
Faced with nearly 4,900 recent cyber incidents, the European Union officially launched ACT4FOOD today, February 9. This strategic initiative deploys AI and blockchain technology to fortify the continent’s critical food supply chains against escalating digital espionage and operational disruption.
Rising Digital Threats in the Food Sector
The urgency of the ACT4FOOD project is underscored by a troubling rise in digital vulnerabilities within the sector. Data reveals that between July 2024 and June 2025 alone, European Union member states analyzed nearly 4,900 cyber incidents [1][2]. This spike follows a broader trend observed in 2023, where approximately 21.5% of all enterprises within the EU reported experiencing IT security incidents [1][2]. As food supply chains become increasingly digitized to improve efficiency and traceability, they simultaneously expose critical infrastructure to new vectors of cyber-physical attacks, necessitating a coordinated response to protect essential goods from farm to fork [1][3].
Technological Fortification and TACCP 4.0
To counter these threats, ACT4FOOD—funded by the EU’s Digital Europe Programme—will operate over a 36-month timeline to develop specific technological countermeasures [1][2]. The project focuses on creating an AI-based cybersecurity system designed to detect threats across Industrial Control Systems (ICS), Internet of Things (IoT) networks, and supply chain operations [1][2]. Furthermore, the initiative aims to establish a secure, blockchain-based platform to facilitate the exchange of Cyber Threat Intelligence among stakeholders [1][3]. A core component of this strategy is the extension of the existing Threat Assessment Critical Control Point (TACCP) concept into “TACCP 4.0,” which integrates both cyber and cyber-physical risks in compliance with strict regulations such as NIS2, PAS 96, and GDPR [1][2].
A Pan-European Consortium
The execution of this defense strategy relies on a consortium of 11 partners spanning 8 countries, coordinated by INNOV-ACTS Limited from Cyprus [1][3]. The diverse group includes technical and research partners such as Maggioli S.p.A. (Italy), Universidad Politécnica de Cartagena (Spain), and June Communications (Romania), alongside industry players [2][3]. Dr. Odysseas Kokkinos, the Project Coordinator, notes that while digitizing food chains enhances efficiency, it creates distinct vulnerabilities that require an integrated approach combining artificial intelligence and advanced threat assessment models [1][3].
Real-World Application and Strategy
To ensure practical applicability, the developed solutions will undergo testing and validation across three distinct real-life use cases: aquaculture producers, dairy processors, and food retail distributors [1][2]. By securing these critical nodes, the project aims to strengthen the EU’s strategic autonomy in cybersecurity and maintain consumer trust in food safety [1][2]. As Iuliana Floricică, CEO of partner June Communications, emphasizes, the resilience of the food sector is not merely a technological challenge but one of collaboration and trust between actors in an interconnected ecosystem, with the project designed to foster these essential links across Europe [2].