Europe on alert as cyber-attacks hit supermarket freezers in 10 countries
European Union officials have warned of deliberate attempts to disrupt the food supply chain after refrigeration systems were targeted across the continent.
Cyber-attacks targeting supermarket freezer temperatures across at least 10 European countries on Monday have prompted warnings from European Union officials. According to BBC News, retailers in Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Germany and Sweden reported problems that forced them to discard food.
In Estonia, at least one supermarket was attacked by hackers who raised refrigeration unit temperatures to 50C. Belgian supermarkets were among the hardest-hit, with dozens of stores reporting failures and federal prosecutors opening an investigation.
In Italy, the government of Giorgia Meloni held a meeting with intelligence chiefs, though officials said the impact was currently limited. The national cybersecurity agency reported that four Co-op supermarkets in Sicily and one business in Tuscany were affected.
European Union food and agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen said the bloc is taking the incidents seriously and warned of further disruption. Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier stated that these incidents show how cyber-attacks can disrupt essential services.
In Ireland, Musgrave Group said 13 SuperValu stores were impacted by a cyber-incident, but replenishment of chilled and frozen ranges is underway. In Germany, Rewe Büsken reported refrigeration disruption following a cyber-attack on system provider Danfoss.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) in the UK has warned British retailers to update software on fridge temperature controls. NCSC head Richard Horne said the agency is working with organisations where vulnerable technology has been exploited.