Hackers Target Supermarket Refrigeration Systems Across Europe, Raising Freezer Temperatures to 50°C

Hackers have targeted supermarket refrigeration systems across at least 10 European countries, forcing retailers to remove chilled and frozen food from sale after temperature controls were changed.

The attacks, reported on Monday, November 2, have raised concerns about the security of connected equipment across Europe’s food supply chain. Some stores reported settings or temperatures reaching 50°C, equivalent to 122°F.

According to the BBC’s report, disruptions were reported in Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Germany and Sweden.

European Union officials warned that the incidents could represent a deliberate effort to disrupt food supplies. No group has claimed responsibility, and investigators have not publicly identified the attackers.

The impact varied between countries and retailers. In Ireland, Musgrave Group said 13 SuperValu stores were affected, with chilled and frozen products removed from sale. Restocking was underway by Monday. In Portugal, the Mosqueteiros group linked incidents at seven Intermarché stores to an attack involving an outside refrigeration service provider.

Swedish retailers ICA and Coop also reported refrigeration problems. Reuters reported that one Swedish store said attackers had set its refrigerators and freezers to 50°C. That distinction matters because a changed temperature setting does not prove every affected freezer, or the food inside it, reached that temperature.

Belgian federal prosecutors opened an investigation after refrigeration failures affected numerous stores. In Estonia, a refrigeration contractor said hackers accessed a customer’s control system and raised temperatures to 50°C.

Dutch supplier reports identified at least 17 affected businesses, including smaller food retailers and butcher shops, showing that the disruption extended beyond major supermarket chains.

Refrigeration Controls Became a Prime Target

These attacks concern operational technology, the equipment and software that control physical processes. Supermarket refrigeration controllers manage cooling systems and allow service teams to check temperatures remotely. That access helps maintenance staff respond to faults, but poorly protected connections can also give attackers a route to settings that directly affect food storage.

Danfoss equipment has been linked to several incidents. An ICA spokesperson told AFP that affected stores used an external refrigeration control system supplied by the Danish manufacturer.

Danfoss also confirmed that its products were involved in the latest attacks. However, the available reporting does not establish one entry point or a single software flaw across every affected store.

Reports about earlier attacks describe changes that kept equipment in defrost mode, preventing normal cooling. Cyber Security News covered this method in its report on hacked supermarket refrigeration systems in France. The same physical outcome can follow different changes to controller settings, so investigators must examine device logs and configurations rather than assume every incident used an identical method.

The new incidents follow attacks in France roughly three weeks earlier that reportedly affected around 700 grocery stores. Retailers suffered major food losses after attackers interfered with refrigeration controls.

The BBC put estimated losses in the tens of millions of euros, highlighting how quickly interference with cooling equipment can become a costly business disruption.

Cyber Security News also documented the latest Swedish reports in its coverage of supermarket fridge attacks. That report noted that French investigations involved Danfoss AK-SM and AK-SC controllers, alongside Copeland and Dixell XWEB systems. Those findings concern the French incidents and should not be treated as a confirmed equipment list for every country in the latest wave.

The timing and similar effects have raised questions about a wider campaign. Still, neither a shared attacker nor state involvement has been publicly established.

EU agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen warned about further disruption, while European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier said the incidents showed how cyberattacks can interfere with essential services and daily life.

The immediate priority is to reduce access to exposed refrigeration controls. Guidance described in the French response recommends removing management interfaces from the public internet, updating firmware, changing default passwords, and using protected remote connections. Retailers should also check temperature settings and defrost schedules for changes that could continue affecting equipment after access is restored.

Older controllers need particular attention because some affected products reportedly no longer receive security updates. The UK’s National Cyber Security Center has urged retailers to update refrigeration control software and warned that vulnerable equipment exists across the food supply chain. These incidents show why keeping food cold now depends partly on keeping remote control systems secure.

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