Dozens of supermarkets in at least seven European countries found products spoiled on Monday after a cyberattack raised the temperature of refrigeration units. Belgium and Sweden were most affected, with incidents also reported in Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Ireland, Estonia and Finland. In some cases, temperatures reportedly reached 50 degrees Celsius, affecting fresh and frozen goods.
The incident followed a similar attack in France three weeks earlier. In both cases, attackers accessed software used to manage refrigeration systems remotely and changed the temperature settings. The attack did not target supermarket chains’ own software, according to David Arroyo Guardeño, a researcher with the Spanish National Research Council’s Cybersecurity and Privacy Protection Research Group. He said the systems involved were internet-connected commercial refrigeration controllers and monitoring equipment.
Arroyo said the attackers may have exploited weaknesses in access controls, alongside outdated remote-maintenance networks operated by local refrigeration and maintenance contractors. Danish company Danfoss, which specialises in industrial cooling and climate systems, was identified in the report as being at the centre of the incident. The attack appeared technically straightforward, but its impact was amplified by the number of retailers affected.
No group has claimed responsibility, and the available information does not establish who carried it out. France’s cybersecurity agency and intelligence services in affected countries are treating the incident as possible cyber-sabotage. Arroyo said investigators are considering both politically motivated actors and criminal groups taking advantage of poorly configured control panels.
The attacks show how vulnerabilities in connected devices can affect physical services. Refrigeration is part of the food supply chain, but similar systems also support essential processes such as energy distribution and water infrastructure. A compromised system could have consequences beyond financial losses for retailers; the report notes that refrigeration used to store vaccines could also be at risk.
The incidents are not the only recent warning about attacks on infrastructure. The article reports that the Pentagon is investigating refrigeration failures at several US military bases in August as a possible cyberattack. It also cites attacks on water facilities in the United States and an earlier attempt by Iranian hackers to raise chlorine levels in Israeli water supplies.
Preventing similar incidents will require stronger cybersecurity, including keeping systems updated. Arroyo also warned that the discovery of software vulnerabilities, including previously unknown flaws, is increasing the number of systems exposed to attack. In this case, the report says, up-to-date systems could have made it more difficult to interfere with the food cold chain.
Sources: El País Tecnología.