A wave of cyberattacks has seized control of supermarket refrigeration systems across Europe, spoiling food and racking up millions in losses. The breaches forced officials across the continent to confront a chilling reality: even kitchen appliances have become targets.
The incidents surfaced Monday in at least six countries, including Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland, Italy and Estonia. Supermarket chains and independent shops alike reported that remote attackers manipulated freezer temperatures, ruining inventory. One Swedish retailer said its units had been pushed to 50 degrees Celsius.
A butcher in Athens told Skai TV that hackers raised a refrigeration unit’s temperature to 150 degrees Celsius. Staff arriving for a 4 a.m. shift discovered the problem, and a technician spent two hours regaining control, according to owner George Boubas. The meat survived, but nearby businesses faced similar intrusions. Boubas said the shop ultimately disabled Wi-Fi on its refrigeration systems to block outside access.
Security experts pointed to a broader vulnerability. Many businesses rely on internet-connected cooling equipment for remote monitoring, energy savings, and rapid fault repair. Yet those connections often run through outdated hardware with weak protections.
“This attack is a wake-up call. We have filled our homes and shops with devices that are really tiny computers, yet we still treat them like ordinary appliances,” said Katerina Mitrokotsa, a cybersecurity professor at the University of St. Gallen.
The latest wave mirrors an earlier incident affecting hundreds of stores in France, Belgium and the Netherlands. Investigators linked those breaches to obsolete remote control modules made by Danfoss and Copeland. Both companies acknowledged vulnerabilities in discontinued controllers that no longer receive security updates.
British officials warned that many refrigeration units remain connected directly to the internet with default passwords. Richard Horne, head of the UK’s National Cyber Security Center, said his team worked through Monday night contacting organizations with exposed technology.
Meanwhile, investigators have no evidence that advanced AI tools played a role. “This is utilizing vulnerabilities that absolutely have been out there for a long period of time,” said Paul Chichester, the center’s director of operations.
No group has claimed responsibility, and motives remain unclear. French cybersecurity agency ANSSI has coordinated protective measures since mid-October, while Italian intelligence officials and the European Commission held meetings to assess the threat. As connected devices multiply, the attacks underscore how neglected legacy systems can undermine even the most routine operations.
