Italy holds security talks after European freezer cyberattacks
The cyberattacks in recent days prompted the EU to warn of a deliberate attempt to disrupt its food supply chain.
Italian authorities convened emergency meetings with intelligence chiefs following cyberattacks on supermarket freezer systems in 11 European countries. The EU warned of a deliberate attempt to disrupt the food supply chain. No group claimed responsibility for the attacks. Dutch spokesman Thomas Regnier said EU agencies were meeting with national authorities on response strategies.
Supermarkets in Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Romania and Sweden reported refrigeration issues. Italian government ministers met with intelligence chiefs and the National Cyber Security Agency, which provided technical guidance. Initial investigations suggest limited impact in Italy, with only a few stores affected.
Around 20 Italian outlets were impacted, according to reports. Giuseppe Spadaro, director of Coop supermarkets in Sicily, said four of 300 stores were hit, resulting in significant food waste. Germany and Romania also reported affected outlets, with no broader infrastructure compromise. Romania's National Cyber Security Directorate (DNSC) director Dan Cimpean called the incident "semi-amateurish" and not state-sponsored.
Swedish Coop said its seven affected stores returned to normal operations after using old 4G networks, prompting a plan to modernize with 5G. Belgian prosecutors initiated an investigation into the incidents.
Written by urgent.news from The Citizen's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
