Why are supermarket freezers being hacked across Europe and could AI make it worse?

Supermarket fridges and freezers are increasingly becoming targets of cyberattacks, resulting in food perishing and raising concerns over the potential for technology to be weaponized. Several recent incidents have affected supermarket chains in various European countries, including Belgium, Luxembourg, Estonia, the Netherlands, Ireland, Sweden, and France. One French store specifically mentioned being targeted by a cyberattack.

This comes just weeks after a major cyberattack hit around 500 to 700 French supermarkets, causing temperatures to soar to as high as 50 degrees Celsius. While no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, French authorities suspect international actors were involved, though no blame has been officially assigned.

Rapidly growing online connectivity of refrigerators, heating systems, and security systems provides convenience for store owners, but also makes them vulnerable to hacking. If a device is connected to the internet, it can potentially be hacked, allowing hackers to gather data, control devices, or disable them entirely.

Experts suggest that the lack of responsibility claims might indicate that hackers aim to create unrest or plan further attacks. However, the primary reason for targeting supermarket freezers and fridges appears to be their easy accessibility, as guidelines for hacking them are readily available online. The question remains: why now and why did some shops fail to protect their installations after earlier attacks in France?

The infrastructure issue is a significant concern, as these devices often run on outdated systems that are no longer supported or patched. Many of the controllers affected in France were older models that had known vulnerabilities since 2025. Cybersecurity firm Critical Cyber notes that these systems are vulnerable due to their availability and lack of defense, making them attractive targets.

Looking ahead, the rise of artificial intelligence is likely to exacerbate the problem. AI can lower barriers to sophisticated attacks, automate them at an unprecedented speed and scale, and make it easier to find and exploit weak points. However, patching vulnerabilities at this pace remains a bottleneck for defenders. As AI-driven vulnerability detection advances, the likelihood of cyberattacks on vital systems, including those we depend on daily, is likely to increase, despite efforts to patch them.