European supermarket fridges hit by another cyber attack

The Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) has warned Israeli retail chains, food companies, and logistics centers to prepare for cyberattacks targeting refrigeration systems in the country. This comes in response to recent attacks in Europe where hackers gained control of refrigeration settings in dozens of stores, leading to spoiled food, financial losses, equipment damage, and in some cases, fires.

In Europe, supermarket groups such as Ahold Delhaize, Colruyt, ICA, and Coop were among those affected. The INCD advised retail chains to inspect their refrigeration and control systems, particularly those that allow remote access by technicians and service providers. Retail chains are urged to report back to the INCD with their inspection results and details on protective measures taken.

Recommendations for protective measures include keeping refrigeration and control systems off the internet, changing default passwords, updating outdated systems, securing remote access with multi-factor authentication, and enabling alerts to detect unusual temperature changes. This directive comes after a supermarket employee at an ICA franchise store in Stockholm reported that an attack occurred overnight, raising freezers to 50 degrees Celsius, an issue that went unnoticed for hours.