STOCKHOLM and PARIS — Supermarkets in Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland, and Estonia were hit by cyberattacks on Nov. 2 targeting refrigeration systems that caused problems with freezers and fridges, forcing some to dispose of spoiled food, the Associated Press reported.
At the same time, the refrigeration monitoring and control systems at three regional facilities of France’s national blood service were also targeted, per The Independent. Monitoring and alarm systems detected the intrusion and alerted staff before any blood products or samples were compromised.
These recent attacks follow a wave of cyberattacks against hundreds of supermarket stores that occurred in France last month.
The Economic Times reports that the attacks have raised concerns about vulnerabilities in connected refrigeration equipment and the potential for disruptions across grocery supply chains. Investigators have not identified those responsible or confirmed whether the attacks are connected, and there is no confirmation that the Danfoss thermostats implicated in the earlier French incident were involved in the latest cases.
According to The Washington Post, the attacks exploited vulnerabilities in internet-connected refrigeration controllers, including outdated software, discontinued hardware, and default passwords. Connected refrigeration systems help supermarkets monitor temperatures, reduce energy costs, minimize food waste and enable remote service, but the recen incidents highlight the cybersecurity risks associated with these technologies.
Meanwhile, the Pentagon is treating a spate of mysterious freezer malfunctions that spoiled food at military bases across the United States in August as a suspected hack, according to Reuters. The late August malfunctions affected at least six commissaries. “In at least one of the cases, the freezers did not simply stop working; the cooling units’ temperatures were cranked up overnight, yielding mounds of wilted or melted food in the morning,” Reuters reported.
These recent cyberattacks across Europe demonstrate that cybersecurity is no longer just an IT concern for commercial refrigeration and HVACR systems. As more equipment, controls, and monitoring platforms become connected to the internet, contractors must consider how digital vulnerabilities can affect system performance, food safety, critical storage environments, and customer operations. HVACR contractors who install, service, and maintain connected equipment have an opportunity to help customers reduce risk by prioritizing secure system configurations, software updates, reliable monitoring, and remote-access protections. Cybersecurity awareness is becoming an increasingly important part of delivering dependable commercial HVACR service.
HARDI reports that manufacturers are issuing security guidance, and distributors should make sure that guidance reaches the contractors who service these systems. Contractors can then help customers determine which controllers they have, whether remote access is properly secured, and whether firmware updates or other manufacturer recommendations apply.
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