Cyberattacks target supermarket refrigeration systems across Europe

European supermarkets have fallen victim to cyberattacks on refrigeration systems, with outbreaks spanning Sweden to Belgium. The incidents, which emerged simultaneously across multiple countries, forced stores to raise refrigerated temperatures to abnormal levels, potentially compromising food safety. Ahold Delhaize and Colruyt, major supermarket chains, reported temperature surges in dozens of their Belgian and Luxembourgian locations, while Swedish retailers ICA and Coop also experienced similar temperature spikes.

Engla Ingwall, a sales manager at an ICA store in Stockholm, declared the attack occurred at 2 am but went unnoticed until hours later. ICA's spokesperson confirmed that a limited number of stores were impacted, while Ahold also notified authorities about the incident. So far, no group has claimed responsibility for these attacks, but the recurring events have raised concerns about hybrid warfare operations following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine.

The rising trend of cyberattacks on various devices, including refrigeration systems and security cameras, has made grocery stores increasingly vulnerable to cyber threats. Stephan Moelans, CEO of refrigeration firm Sabcobel, confirmed that the incident was a deliberate cyberattack, with units' evaporators being switched to defrost mode.