Cyberattacks target supermarket refrigeration systems across Europe

Supermarkets across Europe have been hit by a suspected cyberattack affecting their fridges and freezers, raising concerns regarding the vulnerability of internet-connected hardware. As of Monday, news reports indicated incidents affecting supermarkets in Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands, and Estonia.

Impact on Retailers

Several store managers reported that refrigerator temperatures suddenly spiked to as much as 50 degrees Celsius. This follows similar incidents in France last month, where attackers appeared to remotely manipulate defrosting mechanisms to cause overheating. In one instance reported by a Coop spokesperson, a refrigeration system began to generate heat.

Specific impacts reported by retailers include:

• Carrefour: A spokesperson confirmed that 15 of its 700 stores have been affected, though none of its larger "hypermarket" stores are among them.
• Colruyt (Spar): A spokesperson stated that fridges in "around five" Spar stores have been affected, though no Colruyt stores were affected.
• ICA: A spokesperson confirmed an "incident overnight affecting a small number of ICA stores operating outside ICA’s central network" which affected fridges and freezers.
• Coop: A spokesperson said seven of its 800 stores were affected, describing the situation as "contained and under control."
• Delhaize: A spokesperson stated the company is aware of an "IT incident affecting the refrigeration systems in a number of Delhaize stores."

Expert Analysis and Security Concerns

Cybersecurity researchers have offered differing views on the nature of the attacks. Ken Munro, a cybersecurity researcher, suggested that supermarkets should have disconnected their refrigerators and monitoring devices from the internet, stating, "I don't accept any other excuse ... particularly in light of the earlier [attacks in France]." He also expressed belief that a "copycat" might be behind the Monday attacks.

Inti De Ceukelaire, another cyber researcher, suggested the incidents indicate some retailers did not take necessary steps following the France attacks, stating, "It seems that some of them simply did not get patched, which is quite ridiculous." De Ceukelaire also noted that the recurrence of such attacks suggests a hostile nation could be responsible.

Tom Hegel, a researcher at SentinelOne, noted that once an attacker operates these controls, legitimate functions like defrosting can become tools for disruption. "Changing a setting can destroy physical stock, not just interrupt a computer system," Hegel said.

Broader Vulnerabilities

The incidents have highlighted the risks associated with smart devices connected to the internet. While there is no evidence that domestic appliances are being targeted in these specific supermarket attacks, researchers have previously demonstrated vulnerabilities in devices like Samsung smart fridges.

In the UK, researchers from UK Cyber Defence identified more than 800 refrigeration and building-control interfaces associated with British retailers that can be accessed over the public internet. While this does not guarantee they can be hacked, it leaves them exposed to attackers exploiting software vulnerabilities or weak passwords.

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Sources

• bbc.co.uk: Battery fire on flight from Gatwick was 'so fast', passenger says - BBC News
• majorcadailybulletin.com: British Airways flight from London to Palma forced to return after technical emergency
• bbc.com: If hackers can take control of a supermarket freezer, how vulnerable is other tech?
• politico.eu: Europe’s supermarkets hit by new wave of cyberattacks targeting fridges – POLITICO

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.