Who is hacking Europe’s supermarket fridges and freezers, and why?
After a second apparent cyber-attack in as many weeks, we examine possible culprits and their motives
TL;DR
- Supermarket fridges and freezers in seven European countries experienced malfunctions, with some thermostats remotely set to high temperatures.
- This is the second suspected cyber-attack of its kind in weeks, following an incident in France where retailers lost significant amounts of food.
- The attacks are feared to represent a new tactic, potentially targeting any internet-connected appliance.
- No group has claimed responsibility, but theories include state-based actors demonstrating capability or lone-wolf hackers.
- The simplicity of the hack, which does not require malware, makes it difficult to trace.
- Vulnerabilities often stem from outdated software in appliances not regularly updated.
- British supermarkets have not yet been affected, as internet-exposed refrigeration systems are less common in the UK.
- Retailers are advised to patch their software systems to defend against such attacks.