Europe shaken by cyberattack: Supermarket refrigerators hacked, food worth millions of euros reportedly spoiled
A suspected cyberattack targeting supermarket refrigeration systems in Belgium, Sweden, Ireland and Estonia reportedly caused food worth millions of euros to spoil after hackers remotely raised freezer temperatures.
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): A suspected cyberattack targeting supermarket refrigeration systems in four European countries has raised concerns over food safety and vulnerabilities in digital networks. Hackers remotely increased the temperatures of refrigerators and freezers in stores, causing large quantities of food to spoil. Several major supermarket chains in Belgium, Sweden, Ireland and Estonia have been affected. Initial estimates suggest that businesses could suffer losses worth millions of euros.
The attack took place during the night between Sunday and Monday. Stores belonging to chains such as Delhaize and Carrefour in Belgium, ICA and Coop in Sweden, and SuperValu in Ireland reported problems with their refrigeration systems. In Ireland, 13 SuperValu outlets were affected, while around 40 Delhaize stores and 15 Carrefour stores in Belgium experienced refrigeration-related issues.
Refrigerator temperatures reportedly raised to 70 degrees Celsius
According to local media reports, the temperature of refrigeration units in some Belgian stores was remotely raised to as high as 70 degrees Celsius. As a result, food products worth around 100,000 euros were spoiled at a single Delhaize outlet. The total losses across all affected stores are expected to be considerably higher. However, no official estimate of the damage has been released so far.
Several ICA supermarkets in Sweden also reported tampering with their refrigeration systems. A store in Sjöbo, southern Sweden, said on social media that the temperature inside its refrigerators and freezers had been raised to 50 degrees Celsius overnight. The store had to close temporarily but reopened after the situation returned to normal.
According to an ICA spokesperson, only some stores operating outside the company's central network were affected by the incident.
Seven of the 800 stores belonging to another major Swedish chain, Coop, were also targeted. The company later said that the situation had been brought under control.
Major damage averted in Estonia after timely detection
In Ireland, supermarket group Musgrave confirmed that 13 of its SuperValu stores had been affected by a suspected cyberattack. Meanwhile, in Luxembourg, Delhaize temporarily suspended its ordering system as a precautionary measure.
In Estonia, hackers targeted a computer controlling the refrigeration systems of Selver supermarkets. Through this system, the freezer settings were altered, raising the temperature from below zero to 50 degrees Celsius. However, the company detected the malfunction within a few minutes, preventing damage to food products.
According to Belgian refrigeration installation company Sabcobel, around 20 of the hundreds of units it manages across the country were affected by the attack. The company's CEO, Stephen Moelants, said the incident resembled a similar cyberattack on supermarkets in France in October.
Similar attack had earlier taken place in France
On October 12, hundreds of stores belonging to the Intermarché and Coopérative U supermarket chains in France faced a similar cyberattack. Hackers had breached their refrigeration systems and raised the temperatures, causing food products to spoil.
The identity of those behind the latest attack has not yet been established. National cybersecurity agencies in Belgium and Sweden are monitoring the situation. The repeated targeting of supermarket refrigeration systems in different countries has raised concerns that cybercriminals may now be attempting to disrupt supply chains and food storage operations directly through retailers' digital networks.