Cyberattack Disrupts Supermarket Refrigeration in Multiple Countries
Temperatures in freezers at various Swedish supermarkets surged overnight, with chains ICA and Coop attributing the incident to a cyberattack. French police had previously reported that hackers gained control of refrigeration units in hundreds of supermarkets, leading to food destruction and exposing vulnerabilities in interconnected systems.
A Swedish store announced on social media that its refrigeration and freezer temperatures were set to 50 degrees Celsius, echoing the earlier attacks in France. A spokesperson for ICA confirmed that a limited number of stores were affected by the incident involving their refrigeration systems.
Coop also reported that six of its stores experienced similar issues. The group has not yet provided further comments regarding the situation. The cyberattack has caused widespread disruption in Belgium, Luxembourg, and Ireland, with authorities investigating the incidents that resulted in the spoilage of large quantities of perishable goods.
In Belgium, supermarket chain Delhaize faced extensive failures affecting refrigerators and freezers at over 40 stores between November 1 and 2. Store managers were alerted around 4 a.m. to a sudden rise in temperature, with reports indicating that refrigerated storage areas reached 15 degrees Celsius, breaking the cold chain and raising food safety alarms. Several stores cordoned off their refrigerated aisles and destroyed large amounts of stock. A notice at a Proxy Delhaize branch indicated that the systems had been compromised by hacking.
Delhaize Addresses IT Incident Concerns
Delhaize management has confirmed that an "IT incident" impacted its refrigeration systems but has not officially labeled it a cyberattack. They have also refrained from confirming reports of extreme temperature increases, which were described as unverified.
Cleared for Release
On the same night, at least 15 Carrefour stores in Belgium encountered refrigeration issues. While the timing raises questions, no technical or operational links between the incidents have been established, nor is there evidence of a coordinated attack.
In Ireland, supermarket chain SuperValu was targeted by a cyberattack on its refrigeration systems, leading to the withdrawal of fresh and frozen products from 13 stores as a precaution. The damage is expected to amount to thousands of euros, affecting locations in Lucan, Blanchardstown, Waterford, and Bray. Although these stores remain open for other goods, a spokesperson for Musgrave Group, which owns SuperValu, confirmed that the incident was a cybersecurity issue confined to a specific model of refrigerator. They noted that their monitoring systems raised the alarm, prompting immediate action to ensure consumer safety. An investigation is underway in collaboration with refrigeration equipment suppliers and cybersecurity experts to restore full operations.
