Supermarket cyberattacks disrupt European refrigeration systems
STOCKHOLM/BRUSSELS — Supermarket chains across Europe reported cyberattacks targeting their refrigeration and freezer systems on Monday, with temperatures allegedly raised to 50 degrees Celsius, causing limited food spoilage and temporary product shortages.
The incidents affected ICA and Coop stores in Sweden, Delhaize and Carrefour in Belgium, Musgrave's SuperValu in Ireland, and Danfoss systems in the Netherlands, with companies confirming that a limited number of locations were impacted. The ICA Kvantum branch in Sjöbo, Sweden, reported that its units were hacked overnight, while Delhaize referred to the event as an "IT incident" affecting several dozen stores mostly in Belgium with a few in Luxembourg. Carrefour stated only 15 of its more than 700 stores were affected.
In Ireland, Musgrave confirmed 13 SuperValu stores were hit by a suspected cyberattack targeting a specific refrigeration model. Dutch refrigeration company Danfoss reported 17 facilities using its systems were affected. In Estonia, a technology client reported that attackers accessed a computer controlling refrigeration and increased temperatures to 50 degrees Celsius.
The attacks follow similar incidents in France last month that affected hundreds of supermarkets and independent stores, with most targeted systems reportedly using outdated software. According to Reuters, several U.S. military commissaries experienced comparable cyber intrusions in August, suggesting a possible pattern of coordinated attacks against refrigeration infrastructure.
Company spokespeople emphasized that the situations were contained and under control. All affected stores remained open, and distribution centers were operating normally with no disruption to deliveries. The limited scope of the incidents affected only a small percentage of total locations across each chain.
Cybersecurity experts note the pattern of targeting refrigeration systems across multiple European countries and the connection to prior incidents in France and the United States. The common element of temperature manipulation to 50 degrees Celsius points to a deliberate interference with food storage infrastructure, though the source and motivation remain under investigation.
