Supermarket freezers across Europe hit by new 'Cold War' cyberattack

Date:
Mon, 02 Nov 2026 15:31:39 +0000

Description:
More suspected cyberattacks have targeted supermarkets across Europe, with
the same M.O. as before: upping the temperatures to spoil the food.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter The current targets are in Ireland, Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg and Estonia The US military is investigating similar issues affecting six US bases Over 400 French supermarkets were attacked in October 2026 In October 2026 hundreds of French supermarkets lost food worth millions of euros after a cyberattack turned their freezers up to 120F (50C) and it looks like it's happening again ,
this time in other European countries.

This time the targeted supermarkets include Supervalu, which is one of Ireland's biggest supermarket chains, as well as the Swedish retailers Axfood and ICO and big-name supermarkets in Belgium, Luxembourg and Estonia. While the targets are different the method appears to be the same, with remote access turning the freezers into heaters and spoiling their contents. Latest Videos From TechRadar Watch full video here:

According to one retailer on Facebook, ICA Kvantum Sjbo , "What shouldn't
have happened has happened!"

So what's happening? You may like "Trust us when we say it was 'spoiled'": Pentagon probing military freezers full of spoiled food as potential cyberattack A nightmare scenario for supermarkets: Hidden daily passwords and command injection flaws leave thousands of Danfoss supermarket systems open
to remote takeover Ahold Delhaize takes systems offline after cyberattack global retail giant says 'cybersecurity incident' hit systems, but stores remain open What's happening to the supermarket freezers This most recent attack follows in the footsteps of the French hack and the more recent Pentagon investigation into refrigeration issues in US military bases.

It could well be exploiting a very simple vulnerability, which is that remote refrigeration management systems have weak authentication and "dangerous" software flaws. Certainly in the case of the French supermarkets the BBC reported that the affected units were "older models whose security software could not be updated to ward off a risk" that the manufacturer had
identified. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up
for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me
with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

The French hack affected over 400 stores, and while the numbers aren't in yet the new hack is likely to reach three figures too.

As we noted in our report on the Pentagon investigation, the "Internet of Things" makes it easier for companies to manage large groups of devices automatically and remotely, but it also opens up a new way for hackers to cause trouble and if the software isn't secure enough or updated when new threats emerge, it effectively puts up a welcome sign for cybercriminals.

The European Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen posted on X that "food security requires more attention at all levels. Because the weaponisation of food has become a reality." He's not wrong: whether they're being exploited
by cybercriminals looking for an easy payday, tech troublemakers or nation states waging hybrid wars, it's clear that the Internet of Things needs to take security much more seriously. Thinking of buying a new TV? Try our TV size and model finder! You tell it how far you sit from your TV, we'll tell you what size to buy based on viewing angle advice from image quality
experts, and we'll recommend our three top TVs at that size for different prices. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



======================================================================
Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/tech/supermarket-freezers-across-europe-hit-by-fresh -cold-war-cyberattack-temperatures-raised-to-50c-forcing-grocers-to-throw-away -food


--- Mystic BBS v1.12 A49 (Linux/64)
* Origin: tqwNet Technology News (1337:1/100)