European supermarket fridges got hacked. Again. Here's what to know

Mysterious cyberattacks on European supermarket fridges have sent officials scrambling to figure out the cold, hard facts. Supermarkets in countries like Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland, Italy and Estonia reported that their fridges and freezers warmed up after being remotely taken over, resulting in tons of spoiled food and millions of dollars in losses.

In Sweden, a supermarket's fridges and freezers were set to 122 degrees Fahrenheit, while a butcher shop in Athens reported the temperature being raised to 302 degrees Fahrenheit. Experts are warning that this incident is a reminder of the risks that come with connecting more devices to the internet, as fridges are essentially tiny computers that are often treated like ordinary appliances.

French and Dutch retailers experienced similar attacks, attributed to outdated remote control modules and vulnerabilities in discontinued controllers. The cyberattacks highlight the need for better cybersecurity practices, as many businesses focus on new technology while neglecting the security of their existing systems. British cybersecurity officials pointed to "legacy technology" as the cause of the latest attack, emphasizing the importance of addressing technical debt and weak passwords.