Cyberattacks disrupt refrigeration systems in European stores, perpetrators remain unknown

Cyber incidents have disrupted refrigeration systems in stores across several European countries. In some cases, attackers managed to change the settings of refrigerators and freezers, causing temperatures to rise. As a result, some food had to be withdrawn from sale or discarded. However, there is currently no indication of a wider disruption to food supplies.

According to reports by Reuters, cited by tportal, N1 and 24sata, problems have been recorded in Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands and Estonia. Similar disruptions were also reported in Finland, although it has not yet been confirmed that they were caused by a cyberattack. Affected businesses include stores operated by Delhaize, Carrefour, Spar, ICA, Coop and SuperValu. Reuters reports that more than 100 retail outlets and other business premises have been affected.

Temperatures of up to 50 degrees Celsius were recorded in some devices, not across all affected stores. Stephan Moelans, director of Belgian refrigeration company Sabcobel, explained, according to tportal and 24sata, that attackers switched refrigeration units into defrost mode. This can interrupt normal cooling and cause food to spoil.

The extent of the damage varies between businesses. Carrefour Belgium confirmed that 15 of its more than 700 stores in the country were affected and that all remained open. Sweden's Coop reported problems in seven of its more than 800 stores, while Ireland's Musgrave confirmed an incident involving 13 SuperValu stores. N1 also reported that one Delhaize store in Belgium estimated its losses at around €100,000. This is an individual store's estimate, not the total damage across all affected retailers.

The Belgian Federal Prosecutor's Office has opened an investigation, while national cybersecurity authorities are monitoring the situation. The perpetrators have not been identified, and investigators have not confirmed whether all the European incidents are part of a coordinated operation. A similar attack affected hundreds of French stores in October, but a connection between those incidents and the latest attacks has not been established.

Index.hr explains that connecting household appliances to the internet can create opportunities for cyberattacks when devices have security vulnerabilities or outdated software. This does not mean that ordinary household refrigerators are automatically exposed to the same risks as the commercial systems targeted in these incidents. The level of risk depends on how a device is connected and how well it is protected. Changing default passwords, installing software updates and using secure network connections are basic protective measures.

The incidents demonstrate that connected equipment can become a target even when it is neither a computer nor a smartphone. The confirmed consequences in this case are financial losses for some retailers and food waste. The wider implications and responsibility for the attacks remain under investigation.