Can refrigerators be hacked too? Supermarket freezers hit by cyberattack, here is what happened
Follow UsSupermarkets across Europe faced disruptions due to a suspected cyberattack.
Several stores reported cooling system failures and spoiled food.
Authorities are investigating the incident to identify those responsible.
After your personal devices, hackers have now allegedly started targeting supermarkets. According to reports, many supermarkets across Belgium, Sweden and Ireland faced disruptions as their refrigerators and freezers stopped working. Several major retailers, including Delhaize, Carrefour, ICA and Coop, have reported the issue, as some stores were forced to discard spoilt products and temporarily suspend operations. The exact details of the alleged cyberattack remain unclear, with authorities in the affected countries confirming that investigations are ongoing to determine how the attack was carried out and the extent of its impact. Here is everything you need to know about the alleged cyber attack on the supermarket chains.
SurveyCyberattack affects supermarket cooling systems
According to a report from the BBC, supermarkets across Belgium, Sweden and Ireland have been hit by a suspected cyberattack that disrupted their refrigerators and freezers. Local media reported that around 40 Delhaize supermarkets in Belgium and Luxembourg were affected.
While describing the incident, the spokesperson from Delhaize told the local media that a ‘computer incident’ took place overnight and affected around 40 stores. A branch in Hoeilaart, in the Flemish Brabant province, confirmed that it had lost produce worth about €100,000. Not only that, but the store manager also said that this estimate did not include additional losses linked to the shop’s closure.
Aside from that, Carrefour, a French multinational retail and wholesaling corporation, also confirmed that 15 of its Belgian stores were affected. They further added that the company took the necessary steps immediately to ensure that all its shops remain open.
Swedish stores report freezer temperatures of 50°C
ICA, which is Sweden’s leading grocery retailer and a major retail group, confirmed that a small number of stores operating outside its central network have been affected by an alleged cyber attack. The company said it was helping those outlets manage the situation.
An ICA store in Sjöbo put up a social media post confirming that its refrigerators and freezers had been hacked overnight and their temperature settings changed to 50 degrees Celsius. Following the incident, the store was temporarily closed, but at the time of writing, it has restarted its operations.
An employee at an ICA branch on Odengatan in Stockholm was pictured throwing away bags of spoilt food. Seven of Coop’s 800 Swedish stores were also affected. However, the cooperative retail and grocery store chain later told the BBC that the situation was contained and under control.
Cybersecurity agencies are monitoring the incident
Authorities in Belgium and Sweden said their national cybersecurity agencies were monitoring the incident. However, at the time of writing, it’s not yet clear who carried out the suspected attack or how the stores’ cooling systems were accessed. The incident follows a similar case last month that affected hundreds of supermarkets in France, raising fresh concerns about the security of systems used to manage essential store equipment in Europe.
Do note that apart from the countries mentioned above, similar incidents have also been reported in other parts of Europe, raising concerns that the cyberattacks may be spreading across the region and affecting a growing number of supermarket chains and food retailers.
