When a Supplies shuts down, so do you

When a Supplier Shuts Down, So Do you

Matt Rose of Tech Rage IT Breaks Down Supply Chain Cyberattack in FOX 35 Interview

Winter Springs, Fla., (June 12, 2025) - In the wake of a major cyberattack that halted operations at United Natural Foods—primary distributor for Whole Foods Market—Tech Rage IT's Chief Experience Officer Matt Rose appeared live on FOX 35 Orlando to offer perspective on the growing risks to supply chains and the ripple effects of IT security failures.

The attack, which caused widespread disruption in food distribution, forced the supplier to take systems offline and reportedly revert to paper-based operations. Though official details remain sparse, Rose suspects ransomware may be to blame.

"Whatever it is, it was obviously enough that they felt the need to take it offline," said Rose. "You don't shut down a system unless the damage—or the risk—is serious."

Rose explained that large companies may isolate infected systems rather than power them down to preserve forensic data—a crucial part of diagnosing and recovering from cyber incidents.

"The goal is to understand what happened, if the backups were affected, and how far back the issue goes before you even begin restoration," he added. "And in the meantime, many companies have to revert to old-school, manual processes—if they're even prepared to do so."

The Real Risk: Supply Chain Fallout

What makes this incident especially troubling is its impact on downstream customers like Whole Foods, and potentially, other connected systems.

"The more disruption an attacker causes, the more leverage they have," said Rose. "It's not just about money—it's about shaking entire operations. Companies need to think not just about their own security, but about their vendors', their suppliers', and even their clients'."

A Wake-Up Call for Orlando Businesses

Rose advised businesses of all sizes to assess their own disaster recovery and supplier risk plans—even if they don't think of themselves as "tech companies."

"Ask the tough questions," he urged. "What happens if one of your vendors is hit? Are they connected to your system? Can they access your data? These are real-world risks now, not hypotheticals."

To watch the full FOX 35 interview, Click here.

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For more information, please contact:

For Tech Rage IT: Matt Rose, 407-278-5664, Matt@TechRageIT.com.

For the UCF Business Incubation Program: Rafael Caamano, 407-408-4297 rafael.caamano@ucf.edu or Alan Byrd, Alan Byrd & Associates, 407-415-8470, alan@byrdconnections.com

About Tech Rage IT: Tech Rage IT is a woman-owned technology firm providing managed IT services, VoIP phone services, IT consulting and more to the frustrated, defeated and disappointed businesses craving more from their technology investment.

Tech Rage IT's registered tagline "We Prevent Tech Rage" speaks to their laser focus of being a recognized leader in reducing the raging-headaches that employers and their employees face every single day due to technology problems, such as inconsistent or high IT support costs, unreliable or outdated technology, faulty or slow devices, and ransomware or lost files. Tech Rage IT, headquartered in Winter Springs, has been serving the area since 2015. Find more information about how Tech Rage IT is preventing Tech Rage at www.TechRageIT.com.

About the UCF Business Incubation Program: The University of Central Florida Business Incubation Program is a community resource that provides early-stage companies with the tools, training and infrastructure to become financially stable, high-growth/impact enterprises. Since 1999, this award-winning program has provided vital business development resources resulting in over 300 local startup companies reaching their potential faster and graduating into the community where they continue to grow and positively impact the local economy.

With eight facilities throughout the region, the UCF Business Incubation Program is an economic development partnership between the University of Central Florida, the Corridor, Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties, and the cities of Eustis, Kissimmee, Orlando and Winter Springs. In 2023, current incubator clients supported over 1,000 employees and generated over $120 million in revenue. Nineteen companies graduated from the program and remained in the local community. For more information, visit www.incubator.ucf.edu