Hackers remotely elevated refrigeration temperatures across supermarkets in at least 11 European countries on Monday, spoiling tonnes of food in an unfolding supply chain security crisis.
The Bottom Line
- Refrigeration controls across Germany, Romania, the United Kingdom, and at least eight other nations were manipulated via internet-connected devices.
- The European Union promised a collective response on Tuesday, warning that the incidents were not isolated.
Cross-Border Refrigeration Failures Prompt Emergency European Union Response
The hacking spree struck grocery chains from Ireland to Estonia, forcing retailers to discard perishable inventory as storage units heated up. Officials confirmed the operation brought the total number of affected European nations to at least 11. Belgium, Finland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, and Sweden experienced store-level disruptions on Monday.
A spokesman stated that replenishment of chilled and frozen ranges in the affected stores was well under way.
[Shop fridges and freezers across Europe hit by fresh suspected cyber-attack] “Chains in seven countries say cooling unit temperatures rose overnight in incident similar to hack of French shops“https://t.co/PhdOQqMZk3””
By Tuesday, the European Union pledged a collective response. Thomas Regnier, a spokesperson for the European Union, warned that the incidents required collective resilience and preparation. The attacks mirror an October incident that disrupted hundreds of supermarkets across France.
National Authorities Assess Minimal Immediate Infrastructure Damage
The BBC noted that the NCSC worked directly with affected companies across the food supply chain. Paul Chichester, director of operations at the NCSC, confirmed they were aware of those incidents in the UK and working with affected organisations, adding that they would keep monitoring that.
Gotta say, I didn't have "patch your freezers" on my 2026 bingo card. I did have "even after one attack, some companies still won't think it could happen to them" though. Ah well, it's about time the Internet fridge got its comeuppance. https://t.co/db21RmCeas
In Romania, National Cyber Security Directorate Director Dan Cimpean described the activity to AFP as semi-amateurish. Cimpean added that his agency did not suspect a state actor and confirmed no other critical infrastructure was compromised. Meanwhile, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s office reported a limited operational impact following emergency intelligence briefings.
Vulnerable Internet-Connected Hardware Exploited Across Retail Networks
In Sweden, Coop spokesperson Carlos Cancinos explained that affected units were connected to old 4G networks, prompting an accelerated hardware upgrade to modern 5G modems.
Industrial controls manufactured by Danish firm Danfoss and US software provider Copeland were frequently involved in the attacks. Cyberdefence firm Lupovis recorded 256 attempted probes against honeypot traps mimicking Danfoss controllers between October 20 and October 30. Xavier Bellekens, chief executive of Lupovis, noted infrastructural overlaps with previous Russian-linked malicious operations, though investigators have not yet assigned formal attribution.
Frank Groenewegen, a cybersecurity expert at Deloitte in The Hague, advised retailers to immediately audit and disconnect exposed refrigeration systems from the public internet. While isolation does not remediate the root cause, it prevents attackers from exploiting the systems again.
Threat actors are turning up the heat on Europe's supermarkets. Literally. Refrigeration systems across Europe have been disrupted, with attackers suspected of manipulating temperature controls through exposed management interfaces. Read the analysis: https://t.co/RLmQzVwJqF
Store-Level Toll and Grocery Worker Disillusionment
In Italy, about 20 supermarkets were affected. He stated that they had to throw away everything and that the shelves were empty. Mathieu Tilman, a manager at a Delhaize supermarket in Belgium, expressed shock at the attack, stating that he did not even understand how anyone could do this and questioning how they could end up throwing away so much food, adding that in moments like these, one just feels like quitting their job. The Grocer news website first reported an incident involving Langridge.
| Country | Reported Impact / Store Count | Primary Official Response |
|---|---|---|
| Belgium | Dozens of stores across multiple chains | Federal prosecutors opened a formal criminal investigation. |
| Italy | Approximately 20 supermarkets affected | Government held emergency talks with intelligence services and cybersecurity agencies. |
| United Kingdom | Small meat-processing firms and supply chain units | National Cyber Security Centre monitoring minimal national impact. |
| Romania | Six supermarkets affected | Directorate downplayed threat, ruling out state-actor involvement. |
Disclaimer: The information provided in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute financial advice.
the ai and cyber folks have predicted the progression of this stuff in a way that makes me pretty uncomfortable for what could be next! https://t.co/4swzSHP7dT
