Very cold war: Who’s attacking Europe’s supermarket freezers?
Summary
Cyberattacks disrupted refrigeration systems at supermarkets in several European countries, spoiling food and damaging equipment. The attacks’ source and motive remain unclear, while U.S. officials have also investigated freezer failures at two military facilities as suspected hacks.Key Facts
- More than 100 shops in several European countries reported refrigeration problems on Monday.
- Retailers reported affected stores in Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden and Ireland; IKEA said one site in Belgium was affected.
- A Belgian butcher said its refrigerators reached 18°C, ruining meat worth about 15,000 euros.
- Hundreds of French supermarkets experienced attacks in October that spoiled food and damaged refrigeration units.
- Hackers can alter internet-connected refrigeration controls to raise temperatures; some units in Europe reportedly reached 50°C.
- Cybersecurity professor Awais Rashid said some remotely managed refrigeration systems lack needed software updates and are accessible over the internet.
- In August, freezer failures spoiled food at a market on Fort Huachuca in Arizona and disrupted refrigeration at a naval station in Newport, Rhode Island.
- Reuters reported that Pentagon investigators treated the U.S. military-site failures as suspected hacks and communicated with French authorities.
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