- Cyberattack hit European supermarket refrigeration systems.
- Temperatures spiked to 50°C, spoiling food products.
- Remotely controlled systems vulnerable to hackers.
Cyber attackers targeted Supermarkets in Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland and Estonia on Monday by affecting the operation of freezers and fridges, which apparently forced shop owners to dispose of ruined food. This was the second such major incident in which cybercriminals attacked stores.
Last month, they remotely took control of refrigeration systems in hundreds of supermarkets and independent stores across France, sending temperatures soaring.
Sweden's ICA Group Supermarket Chain Affected
In Sweden, Gustaf Nilsson, a spokesperson for ICA Group supermarket chain, said "a limited number" of stores were affected overnight by an incident that affected refrigeration and freezing systems. However, the number of affected stores was unclear. Fridges and freezers had been hacked and set to 50 degrees Celsius, said an ICA Kvantum store official in Sjobo, southern Sweden. The sudden increase in temperature led to the destruction of several products. In a Facebook post, it said staff were discarding affected products.
The Coop chain also claimed that six of its stores in central Sweden faced technical issues with their fridges and freezers.
Over 700 Stores Affected In Belgium
The Delhaize chain in Belgium has been one of the food chain stores that underwent similar issue. "IT incident" has affected refrigeration systems in several dozen of its stores, mostly in Belgium but also a few in neighbouring Luxembourg. Spokesperson Sarah De Meester said, "In the affected stores, the range of fresh and frozen products is temporarily somewhat limited. Our distribution centres are operating normally, and there has been no disruption to deliveries to our stores."
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Carrefour said a cyberattack targeting refrigeration systems had affected 15 of its more than 700 stores in Belgium, describing the impact as "extremely limited."
What Refrigeration Technology Company Revealed
A refrigeration technology company in Estonia said attackers had accessed a computer controlling a client's refrigeration system and raised the temperature to 50 degrees Celsius. Jann Mutso, chief executive of Kitman Coldtech, declined to identify the store but said the attack was addressed within minutes and caused no significant damage.
Remotely Controlled Systems Are Vulnerable
Cybercriminals find loopholes in the software that controls electronic devices right from refrigerators to heating systems to security cameras and alarms. These devices, once largely operated mechanically, are now being monitored and controlled remotely, creating new opportunities for cybercriminals.
(With Agencies Inputs)