Multiple supermarket refrigerators in Belgium, Sweden, and Luxembourg malfunctioned on Monday, with temperatures in some reaching 50 degrees Celsius. This situation is similar to the attacks that occurred in mid-October on supermarkets in France, where hackers seemingly managed to take control of the refrigeration systems unnoticed.
Refrigerator Issues and Their Effects
Managers from several supermarkets reported to local media that temperatures in the refrigerators suddenly rose, forcing them to discard food items. The Delhaize supermarket chain alerted its store managers early Monday morning about the refrigerator issues, and one store manager stated that these problems are due to a cyber attack similar to those in France.
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A spokesperson for Delhaize stated that the company is aware of an "IT incident" affecting the refrigeration systems in several stores. Additionally, reports indicate that the Colruyt supermarket chain has also been affected, with refrigerators malfunctioning in about five Spar stores of this chain.
International Reports and Reactions
In Sweden, supermarkets faced similar issues. A spokesperson for the ICA supermarket chain confirmed that a "night incident" affected several ICA stores that do not operate on the central ICA network. Reports of impacts on Coop supermarkets in Sweden have also emerged.
Similar cyber attacks occurred in mid-October on supermarkets in France, where hackers managed to disrupt the refrigeration systems produced by Danfoss. These attacks prompted responses from French officials and the country's cybersecurity agency. Government responses to these attacks highlight the importance and sensitivity of cybersecurity issues in the retail sector.
Danfoss has not responded to requests for comment on this matter. However, Belgian officials stated that the Belgian Cybersecurity Center is seriously investigating this incident to help identify and resolve the issues.
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