Cyberattacks on supermarket freezers target food supplies across Europe and US
Hackers have targeted internet-linked refrigeration units, causing temperatures to rise and spoiling large quantities of food.
Cyberattacks targeting internet-linked supermarket refrigerators and freezers have caused food spoilage across several European countries and the United States, according to Al Jazeera. On Monday, more than 100 shops in various European countries reported that fridges and freezers ran hot.
The attacks involve hackers accessing controls of appliances that use internet software to raise temperatures. In some European supermarkets, temperatures reached 50C, causing food to melt or appliances to catch fire. Similar incidents occurred in August at an Army base in Arizona and a naval station in Rhode Island.
The Pentagon is investigating the malfunctions at the US military bases as suspected hacks, Reuters reported. One official stated that Pentagon investigators are communicating with French authorities regarding the issue.
European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen said the attacks are a deliberate attempt to disrupt the bloc's food supply and undermine consumer confidence. While food security is not currently at risk, Hansen noted that food waste and the impact on businesses are real.
Awais Rashid, a professor of cybersecurity at the University of Bristol, said many remotely managed refrigeration systems lack necessary software updates and are accessible on the internet. He noted vulnerabilities include easily guessable passwords and controllers that are past their end of life.
Belgium’s prosecutor’s office announced on Monday that it has opened a criminal investigation into the latest fridge cyberattacks. No one has taken responsibility for the incidents so far.
