Connected refrigeration systems allow supermarket chains to monitor and manage equipment remotely, but inadequate protection can also expose those systems to abuse. After a major incident in France, similar problems have now been reported in Belgium and Sweden.
The incident began on Sunday night, when refrigerators at stores operated by chains including Delhaize, Carrefour, Spar, Ica and Coop reportedly increased their temperature without any intervention from staff. In some cases, the temperature reached around 50°C, putting refrigerated products at risk.
The initial explanation focused on a possible computer failure, but several reports now describe the event as a cyberattack. According to preliminary findings, the attackers remotely activated the evaporators’ defrost mode, causing the temperature inside the refrigeration chambers to rise.
The method used to gain access has not yet been identified. The affected systems may include older equipment that is no longer updated, remains unnecessarily connected to the Internet or uses weak passwords. In the earlier French incident, some Danfoss refrigerators were found to use “admin” as the administrator username and the day of the month as the access code.
The total number of affected stores and the value of any losses are still unknown. Delhaize has disconnected the Internet cables from its refrigeration systems as an immediate measure.
However, a software update may not be enough to resolve the underlying security problems. The CEO of Belgian installer Sabcobel, which manages hundreds of similar systems, said that many refrigerators would require physical modifications, a potentially costly solution. The incidents in France, Belgium and Sweden have occurred within roughly three weeks, highlighting the risks associated with leaving older connected refrigeration equipment exposed.
Sources: Xataka.