Supermarket refrigeration attacks hit 115+ stores in Europe; CISA and FBI warn of cold-chain campaign, Iran suspected, Danfoss products involved
Matéria consolidada. Reúne 26 matérias que o Tifon tinha publicado separadamente sobre a mesma história. A IA reescreveu o relatório com o que as 14 fontes trouxeram em 06/11/2026 02:05; os links antigos trazem para cá.
Fontes: bleepingcomputer.com ×2 ↗ theregister.com ×2 ↗ techcrunch.com ×2 ↗ hackread.com ↗ darkreading.com ↗ olhardigital.com.br ×3 ↗ industrialcyber.co ×2 ↗ infosecurity-magazine.com ↗ itsecurityguru.org ↗ securityweek.com ↗ thehackernews.com ↗ helpnetsecurity.com ↗ securityaffairs.com ↗ gbhackers.com ↗
A second wave of suspected cyberattacks hit supermarket refrigeration and freezer systems overnight into 2 November 2026, about three weeks after the 11-12 October attacks on French stores (about 700 stores per securityweek.com; olhardigital.com.br says over 500; bleepingcomputer.com estimates 250 to 350; hackread.com dates the French wave to 12 October and reports fires at hundreds of stores). Sources list between four and nine affected countries: Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden, Ireland, Estonia, the Netherlands, Finland and, per securityweek.com and infosecurity-magazine.com, Italy and Portugal. hackread.com also names Edeka in Germany. The UK NCSC also reported limited exploitation of vulnerable refrigeration technology (infosecurity-magazine.com), and hackread.com lists UK victims among food suppliers. Attackers remotely forced units into defrost mode, raised setpoints to roughly 50-55°C or shut units down, spoiling fresh and frozen stock (bleepingcomputer.com counts 115+ stores; securityweek.com says over 100; thehackernews.com says no chain reported more than several dozen). Affected retailers include Ahold Delhaize (Delhaize), Colruyt/Spar, Carrefour, Intermarché, ICA, Coop, SuperValu (Musgrave), Selver, Kesko, Edeka (hackread.com), an IKEA store in Mons and smaller shops. Danfoss confirmed its products were involved and Copeland equipment was reportedly hit in Belgium (thehackernews.com); Copeland also confirmed its Dixell XWEB controls were identified in UK incidents (hackread.com). Belgium's federal prosecutor has opened a criminal investigation (thehackernews.com, securityweek.com). On Thursday 5 November 2026 CISA, the FBI, HHS, the USDA and the Department of Transportation issued a joint advisory on an ongoing campaign against internet-connected industrial refrigeration and cold-chain monitoring systems, with worldwide scope (techcrunch.com, theregister.com, bleepingcomputer.com). On 3 November the French Blood Establishment (EFS) confirmed that an incident at a refrigeration equipment provider altered temperature and defrost settings at three facilities storing blood products (bleepingcomputer.com). The US has not formally attributed the attacks, but researchers and officials reportedly suspect Iran (techcrunch.com). No group has claimed responsibility (bleepingcomputer.com), and the EU agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen called the attacks a deliberate attempt to disrupt the food supply chain (securityweek.com); the matter goes to the EU Security College (infosecurity-magazine.com). The vendor Sabcobel says the same vulnerability as in France was used (bleepingcomputer.com), but the exact flaw and any CVE remain unpublished. CISA's Acting Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity, Chris Butera, said every organization relying on refrigeration and monitoring systems should assume it could be a target (bleepingcomputer.com).
Entenda a falha
A vulnerabilidade
No CVE has been published and no single product is named. The campaign targets internet-exposed commercial refrigeration controllers and cold-chain monitoring systems. French cases involved Danfoss AK-SM/AK-SC and Copeland/Dixell XWEB; Danfoss said most units hit were end-of-life AK-SM 800 and AK-SC 355. The CISA/FBI/HHS/USDA/DOT advisory (5 November) cites authentication bypass flaws, arbitrary code injection flaws and weak configurations. The attacker needs network reach to the management interface and, per Danfoss, sometimes only default passwords. They get remote control of setpoints and defrost, with no user interaction. No affected or fixed versions are published; many old units have no patch.
Como funciona
These controllers expose a management interface so contractors and operators can monitor temperatures, set defrost schedules and respond to alarms remotely. An attacker who reaches that interface gets in through bypassed authentication, injected code or default or weak credentials, which fits the advisory and Danfoss's account. They then change settings: units are forced into continuous defrost with a setpoint of about 50°C, raised to 50-55°C, or shut down. Some attackers also disabled automated temperature alerts, as at Langridge Organic, which delayed detection. The articles do not describe the internal code path, and the exact flaw remains unpublished.
Por que é vulnerável
The articles point to exposure and poor hygiene more than a single bug: management interfaces directly on the internet, default passwords, unpatched firmware, and end-of-life Danfoss units that no longer receive security updates. Danfoss told NOS the Dutch systems were not on a secure network and still used default passwords. Third-party remote access is often exposed or overly broad. Sabcobel says a full fix needs a software update plus physical modification of the units. Mitigations: take controllers off the internet, change passwords, patch where possible, and retire unsupported equipment. The exact flaw and any CVE are unpublished.
Como foi descoberta
The articles do not say how the weaknesses were found. Claroty warned in August of remote hack and outage risk in these Danfoss units. The French wave of 11-12 October led CERT-FR to publish an alert, later expanded to Copeland and Dixell XWEB; the second wave came on 2 November. Forescout Vedere Labs reported nearly 13,000 exposed refrigeration services, and Lupovis saw login attempts on its Danfoss AK-SM sensors between 20 and 30 October. CISA and partners published the joint advisory on 5 November. The US has not attributed the attacks; TechCrunch says Iran is suspected, while no group has claimed them.
Explicação gerada por IA a partir da matéria e dos artigos, em 06/11/2026 02:21.
Detalhes técnicos
- Attackers remotely triggered forced defrost in continuous mode with a 50°C setpoint; Sabcobel's CEO said evaporators were switched to defrost (securityaffairs.com, olhardigital.com.br, hackread.com). An ICA store manager told TV4 the +50°C setting could not be changed (bleepingcomputer.com). In Belgium Sabcobel, which manages systems for Delhaize, knows of about 20 affected units and says attackers got into individual supermarkets' systems, not those of refrigeration contractors; elsewhere the setpoint was raised, e.g. to 50°C at an ICA store in Sjöbo, Sweden, and at Selver (thehackernews.com). Per hackread.com, some fixes required physical intervention rather than software patches alone.
- Mechanism per Belgian reports is the same as the October French attack, which hit Danfoss, Copeland and Dixell control and monitoring systems according to ANSSI (helpnetsecurity.com). The French cases involved Danfoss AK-SM/AK-SC and Copeland/Dixell XWEB controllers, some with outdated firmware, and CERT-FR published an alert (theregister.com, bleepingcomputer.com, hackread.com). CERT-FR's alert (last updated 16 October) says the campaigns are probably still underway; in October Danfoss said most units hit in France were end-of-life AK-SM 800 and AK-SC 355 models (thehackernews.com). Danfoss, Sabcobel and Kitman said the method matched or resembled the French attack, but a shared method does not show the same actors are behind both (thehackernews.com).
- US joint advisory (5 November): the agencies say the actors may exploit vulnerabilities or weaknesses in unpatched or internet-accessible controllers, remotely altering settings and forcing units into continuous heating and defrost cycles (theregister.com, techcrunch.com). They say attackers are exploiting authentication bypass vulnerabilities, arbitrary code injection flaws or weak configurations. Consequences include inventory losses, reduced equipment lifespan, fire hazards, unsafe storage conditions, and reduced visibility into real-time temperatures, which delays detection (bleepingcomputer.com). Reported consequences also include spoiled food and temperature-controlled medications (theregister.com). The advisory covers electronic temperature controllers and commercial refrigeration management systems used in healthcare, food production, agriculture, chemical, transportation and medical cold-chain operations (bleepingcomputer.com, techcrunch.com). Neither the advisory nor the articles name a specific CVE or a single vulnerable product (theregister.com, bleepingcomputer.com).
- Researcher Kevin Beaumont confirmed the affected freezers expose management interfaces to the internet with the same issue as before, many being end of life with no patch (helpnetsecurity.com, securityweek.com). Security researchers tie the French incidents to Danfoss units that no longer receive security updates, and Claroty warned in August of remote hack and outage risk (techcrunch.com). Some compromised units were made by Danfoss, which had stopped providing security updates for them (techcrunch.com).
- Danfoss told NOS that the affected Dutch systems were not on a secure network and still used default passwords, and that the weakness lies mainly in outdated software (thehackernews.com). At least 17 businesses in the Netherlands were hit (securityweek.com).
- Consultant Emil Olofsson (Integrity 360) said the French attackers obtained credentials for internet-exposed control systems and called the hack simple, possibly the work of amateurs (securityaffairs.com). Tom Hegel (SentinelOne) noted attackers likely accessed exposed control panels, leaving minimal forensic traces, so a lone actor is hard to tell apart from a state-sponsored operation; no ransom demands suggest sabotage rather than extortion (olhardigital.com.br).
- Industry view on access: darkreading.com (3 November) describes attackers abusing exposed Internet connectivity, remote access tools, poor security hygiene and weak remote access controls on commercial refrigeration and cold-storage OT, and warns the same weaknesses could expose other temperature-controlled infrastructure, including pharmaceutical and healthcare cold storage. Michael Ferdinandsen, CEO of Danish industrial cybersecurity firm Secomea, says many retailers lack control over third-party remote access, which is often internet-exposed or overly broad for service providers and maintenance technicians (industrialcyber.co). Investigators were still examining the Sweden, Belgium and Luxembourg incidents and the intrusion method had not been disclosed (industrialcyber.co).
- Estonia: Kitman Coldtech said attackers exploited an older, non-updated Danfoss system; at Selver an attacker accessed a computer controlling refrigeration and raised the freezer to 50°C, but the partner detected it quickly and prevented damage (industrialcyber.co, thehackernews.com). How attackers got in in Sweden is not stated (thehackernews.com).
- Ireland: SuperValu said a specific refrigeration model was affected in 13 of 223 stores; the Irish NCSC said a known vulnerability may be involved, without giving a CVE (industrialcyber.co, theregister.com).
- UK (hackread.com): victims include Langridge Organic and three abattoirs monitored by the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers. At Langridge Organic six of ten cold-room controllers were altered and automated temperature-alert messages were disabled; staff caught the problem through manual checks. The UK NCSC is assisting affected organizations.
- Blood products (France): the EFS incident originated at a refrigeration equipment provider, not directly at the blood facilities (bleepingcomputer.com). TechCrunch earlier described the attack on a French blood bank as stopped before any losses (techcrunch.com).
- Reported impact beyond the above: Delhaize several dozen stores in Belgium and four in Luxembourg, Carrefour Belgium 15 locations, Colruyt five Spar shops, Kesko in Finland, Coop-branded stores in Sicily, seven Intermarché stores in Portugal (securityweek.com), and the Antwerp butcher chain De Laet & Van Haver with temperatures reaching 18°C (olhardigital.com.br). hackread.com additionally lists Coop in Sweden and Edeka in Germany.
- Telemetry: Lupovis saw suspicious activity against its Danfoss AK-SM sensors between 20 and 30 October, peaking on 26 October, mostly publicly documented factory-default credentials plus apparent fingerprinting; all attempts were rejected. Censys counts just over 1,000 Danfoss StoreView interfaces online; exposed instances in France fell from 1,825 to 220, and about 41% of those still online appear patched, against 68% in Belgium (138 exposed), 37% in the Netherlands (51) and 58% in Sweden (50). Censys did not say whether patched devices were compromised on Monday (securityweek.com). Forescout Research – Vedere Labs found nearly 13,000 internet-exposed refrigeration service observations across 99 countries, tied to over 6,000 distinct public IPs, many running outdated software (itsecurityguru.org); hackread.com gives the exact figures from the scan reported on 26 October as 12,976 services across 6,017 public IPs in 99 countries/territories, exposing management interfaces for temperature, defrost schedules and alarms. Platforms named include Copeland/Dixell XWEB and Danfoss StoreView (itsecurityguru.org).
- Many affected stores sit outside chains' central networks, such as independent Spar and ICA stores with their own refrigeration (bleepingcomputer.com). ICA said the affected systems were connected independently of its central network (gbhackers.com). Sweden's National Cybersecurity Centre (FRA) is assisting and noted many exposed OT devices needing updates (gbhackers.com, industrialcyber.co).
- Ahold Delhaize alerted store managers by SMS around 4 a.m.; some stores used refrigerated trucks. Sabcobel technicians began disconnecting installations from 1 a.m. (bleepingcomputer.com). An ICA franchise in Stockholm said the attack happened around 2 a.m. but was noticed hours later (industrialcyber.co).
- No IOCs or CVEs have been disclosed, and Danfoss's advisories page listed no advisory on these attacks as of 3 November (thehackernews.com). Copeland is circulating patching guidance for Dixell XWEB (hackread.com). Ahold's separate October report to Dutch police has no reported link (securityaffairs.com, olhardigital.com.br); theregister.com likewise says no link is established between the refrigeration campaign and the proactive IT shutdown at Ahold Delhaize (parent of Food Lion, Giant Food and Stop & Shop) after a cyberattack last month.
- US military and Iran context: techcrunch.com notes US Department of Defense officials are reportedly investigating whether freezers on military bases were hacked by Iran-backed actors. bleepingcomputer.com says the Defense Department's inspector general is investigating freezer and refrigeration malfunctions at several US military commissaries that began in August, and that it is unclear whether they are connected to the European wave. The agencies drew a parallel to Iranian hackers who used internet-accessible PLCs, often without passwords, to breach more than 100 US water systems in July (theregister.com). European authorities remain on alert for possible hybrid threats amid tensions with Russia (bleepingcomputer.com). No confirmed attacks on US supermarkets have been documented (theregister.com).
- Unrelated research on Copeland controller flaws shows cooling can be disabled while normal temperatures display; no evidence links it to Sweden (gbhackers.com).
Remediação
- Disconnect refrigeration controllers and OT interfaces from direct internet exposure, including any device on a public IP, and restore remote access only through a secure VPN or protected network; Danfoss told customers on 13 October to do this, and most Sabcobel customers switched after the French attack, though some stores did not act (helpnetsecurity.com, bleepingcomputer.com, securityaffairs.com, securityweek.com, thehackernews.com, hackread.com). The US advisory likewise says to take industrial control systems off the public internet and, where remote access is required, place it behind a firewall or edge device kept up to date (theregister.com, techcrunch.com, bleepingcomputer.com). Filtering contractor IPs at a firewall is an emergency measure only (thehackernews.com).
- CERT-FR recommends removing public internet access, reviewing configurations, updating firmware, changing default passwords and routing remote maintenance through a secured VPN or protected network; it warns that resetting an unsupported controller without addressing the underlying weaknesses leaves it exposed to repeat compromise (hackread.com).
- Sabcobel says a software update alone is insufficient; units also need physical modification (bleepingcomputer.com, helpnetsecurity.com, securityweek.com, hackread.com). Danfoss is reportedly working with customers on security fixes (olhardigital.com.br).
- Patch exposed devices; replace or isolate end-of-life units without patches (helpnetsecurity.com, industrialcyber.co). The US agencies add: apply patches and security updates promptly and retire legacy equipment the vendor no longer supports (theregister.com, techcrunch.com, bleepingcomputer.com). End-of-life devices left online are very likely to be compromised, and a factory reset alone does not protect them (thehackernews.com).
- On Danfoss devices, set the security level to Strict and change default passwords; check the whole configuration, especially defrost schedules and alert settings; for compromised devices, restart or factory-reset and reconfigure before returning to service (thehackernews.com).
- Rotate and protect control-system credentials, enforce MFA, segment control networks, and monitor configuration changes (securityaffairs.com, gbhackers.com). The US advisory calls for strong, unique credentials instead of defaults and phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication (theregister.com, techcrunch.com, bleepingcomputer.com).
- Isolate OT devices from business networks with a dedicated VLAN (theregister.com, bleepingcomputer.com); segment OT from IT and the Internet and audit Internet-facing remote access points (darkreading.com).
- Enforce safe temperature limits so controllers cannot operate outside acceptable ranges (bleepingcomputer.com). Maintain a device/IP allow-list restricting OT access, keep offsite and offline backups, and enable logging with regular review for unusual activity (theregister.com).
- Adopt OT-native secure remote access that controls connections at the individual asset level instead of broad network access, using Edge Gateways near operational assets, centralized access management, granular permissions and audit logging (industrialcyber.co, citing Secomea). Secomea points to Danish firm AK-Centralen as a model: it remotely monitors refrigeration systems across more than 1,500 supermarkets without direct access to internal networks (industrialcyber.co). Maintain vulnerability management, system updates and continuous monitoring of third-party remote access across OT environments (industrialcyber.co).
- Deploy independent temperature alarms and continuous monitoring (gbhackers.com); manual temperature checks caught the Langridge Organic tampering after alerts were disabled (hackread.com). Add network-level monitoring for anomalous communications and include OT in incident response and business continuity planning, including handling spoiled inventory (itsecurityguru.org). Monitor for unauthorized access to refrigeration and climate-control systems (darkreading.com).
- Inventory internet-connected devices, decide whether each needs a connection, and layer protections on those that stay connected (Sweden's National Cybersecurity Centre, thehackernews.com).
- Control who can remotely access equipment and ask suppliers about support lifetimes; the Irish NCSC says operators and suppliers are responsible for the systems (industrialcyber.co). The UK NCSC has alerted potentially affected companies, and affected retailers pulled chilled and frozen stock as a precaution (infosecurity-magazine.com).
Relatos divergentes
- Countries affected: four (theregister.com, techcrunch.com, thehackernews.com), three (helpnetsecurity.com), six (bleepingcomputer.com), six plus problems reported in Finland, Italy and Portugal (securityweek.com), seven (olhardigital.com.br, itsecurityguru.org), at least seven including Finland (industrialcyber.co) and at least nine (infosecurity-magazine.com). The later and broader reports (securityweek.com, infosecurity-magazine.com) show the widest scope; Italy and Portugal appear only in those two. Germany (Edeka) and UK suppliers appear only in hackread.com (4 November), so the true scope may be wider than the counts above. For the whole campaign, theregister.com lists France, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg and Sweden without the UK, while techcrunch.com describes attacks across the UK and Europe; the US advisory's warning is worldwide.
- French first wave size and date: about 700 stores (securityweek.com) versus over 500 (olhardigital.com.br) versus an estimate of 250 to 350 French supermarkets (bleepingcomputer.com); theregister.com speaks of thousands of systems across hundreds of stores. hackread.com says 12 October and mentions reported fires at hundreds of stores, while earlier entries give 11-12 October. These figures are estimates and may not be directly comparable.
- Peak temperature: 50-55°C in most reports, with a freezer at 55°C in Böda (gbhackers.com); consultant Emil Olofsson claimed some units reached 80°C and caught fire, which differs from the police figure (securityaffairs.com).
- Same method as France: Sabcobel, Danfoss, Kitman and Belgian reports say it matched or resembled France (bleepingcomputer.com, helpnetsecurity.com, thehackernews.com), and hackread.com describes the same controller families, while theregister.com and techcrunch.com said it was unconfirmed; the Swedish cause is officially unknown (securityaffairs.com). thehackernews.com (3 November, with Danfoss's confirmation) notes a shared method does not prove the same actors.
- Intrusion method: industrialcyber.co describes the Sweden, Belgium and Luxembourg incidents as suspected, with the intrusion method undisclosed and investigations ongoing; darkreading.com, published later the same day, states more definitively that attackers abused exposed Internet connectivity and weak remote access controls, without citing technical evidence. The US advisory (via bleepingcomputer.com) cites authentication bypass and code injection flaws or weak configurations without naming a CVE. Treat the remote-access vector as probable but not fully confirmed.
- Attribution and motive: techcrunch.com says researchers and officials reportedly suspect Iran, with no formal US attribution; theregister.com refers to unknown attackers and only draws a parallel to earlier Iranian activity against water systems; bleepingcomputer.com, the most recent source, says no group has claimed the European attacks and that no attribution is disclosed in the advisory as reported. infosecurity-magazine.com says EU officials suspect a deliberate, possibly nation-state-linked attempt, whereas olhardigital.com.br says Belgian and EU officials warn attribution may never be determined, and thehackernews.com and hackread.com say attribution is unknown. Attribution remains unconfirmed.
- Root cause: Danfoss says the weakness lies mainly in outdated software, but also that Dutch systems used default passwords on insecure networks (thehackernews.com); Sabcobel says a software update is insufficient (bleepingcomputer.com, hackread.com); olhardigital.com.br says Danfoss is working on patches while no Danfoss advisory was listed as of 3 November (thehackernews.com).
- Colruyt/Intermarché: helpnetsecurity.com says they reported only technical problems without confirming a cyberattack, whereas techcrunch.com says Colruyt confirmed incidents.
- Coordination: unclear whether the attacks were coordinated or individual (bleepingcomputer.com).
- Blood bank: techcrunch.com describes a French blood bank attack stopped before any losses; bleepingcomputer.com, the more recent source, reports that EFS confirmed settings were altered at three facilities storing blood products via a refrigeration equipment provider, and does not state whether any products were lost.
- US military: techcrunch.com says military refrigeration units are under Department of Defense investigation; theregister.com adds that the malfunctions occurred in August and that the Pentagon is reportedly investigating them as a suspected cyberattack; bleepingcomputer.com says the inspector general is investigating and it is unclear whether they connect to the European wave. It is not confirmed that they are part of the same campaign, which began in mid-October.
Linha do tempo
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FBI, CISA Warn of Attacks on Industrial Refrigeration and Cold-Chain Systems After European Supermarket and Blood Bank Incidents
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The FBI and CISA, jointly with the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services (HHS), Agriculture (USDA), and Transportation (DOT), issued an advisory warning that threat actors are actively targeting industrial refrigeration and cold-chain monitoring systems worldwide, with potential to cause food spoilage, equipment damage, and fire hazards. The warning covers electronic temperature controllers and commercial refrigeration management systems used across healthcare, food production, chemical, and transportation sectors. It follows a wave of attacks in Europe: in October, hackers compromised refrigeration controllers at an estimated 250 to 350 French supermarkets, remotely triggering defrost cycles, and a second wave in November hit more than 115 stores across six European countries, with some systems shut down entirely and temperatures raised as high as 50°C (122°F). On November 3, the French Blood Establishment (EFS) confirmed that a cybersecurity incident at a refrigeration equipment provider altered temperature and defrost settings at three facilities storing blood products. CISA's Acting Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity, Chris Butera, said every organization relying on refrigeration and monitoring systems should assume it could be a target.
Technical Details
The agencies state that attackers are exploiting authentication bypass vulnerabilities, arbitrary code injection flaws, or weak configurations in unpatched or internet-accessible controllers to modify temperature settings and force equipment into continuous heating or defrost cycles. This can cause inventory losses, reduced equipment lifespan, fire hazards, unsafe storage conditions, and reduced visibility into real-time temperatures, delaying detection of problems. No specific CVE identifiers, named vulnerable products, or threat actor attribution are disclosed in the advisory as reported; no group has claimed responsibility for the European attacks, and authorities remain on alert for possible hybrid threats amid tensions with Russia (therecord.media). Separately, the U.S. Defense Department's inspector general is investigating freezer and refrigeration malfunctions at several U.S. military commissaries that began in August, though it remains unclear whether these are connected to the European wave (therecord.media); prior reporting had suggested suspected Iran-linked activity behind those military base incidents (nextgov.com).
Remediation
The agencies recommend removing refrigeration controllers from the public internet, securing any necessary remote access, changing default passwords, applying available security updates, isolating operational technology (OT) systems from business networks, and enforcing safe temperature limits to prevent controllers from operating outside acceptable ranges.
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US agencies warn grocers and cold-chain operators of global refrigeration hacking spree spoiling food, risking fires
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The FBI, CISA, Health and Human Services, USDA, and the Department of Transportation issued a joint advisory on Thursday warning operators of industrial refrigeration and cold-chain monitoring systems about an ongoing wave of attacks. Since mid-October, unknown attackers have hacked thousands of remote-controlled refrigeration systems across hundreds of grocery stores in France, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Sweden, forcing units to overheat to as high as 50°C (122°F), spoiling food and sparking fires. No confirmed attacks against US supermarkets have been documented, but Ahold Delhaize (parent of Food Lion, Giant Food, and Stop & Shop) proactively took IT systems offline last month after a cyberattack, and the Pentagon is reportedly investigating freezer malfunctions that spoiled food at US military bases in August as a suspected cyberattack.
Technical Details
According to the agencies, the actors may exploit vulnerabilities or weaknesses in unpatched or internet-accessible controllers to remotely alter settings and force units into continuous heating and defrost cycles, which can cause widespread inventory loss and equipment hazards. The article states that attackers gain access by bypassing authentication, injecting arbitrary code, and abusing weak configurations, allowing them to change temperatures to spoil food or temperature-controlled medications, start fires, and potentially harm consumers of improperly stored products. No specific CVE or vulnerable vendor product was named in the advisory or the article; the threat is attributed to internet-exposed electronic temperature and commercial refrigeration controllers broadly, not a single named flaw. Separately, the agencies drew a parallel to Iranian hackers who used internet-accessible programmable logic controllers (PLCs) to breach more than 100 US water systems in July, citing exposed, often password-less devices as an easy entry point for attackers.
Remediation
The agencies urge owners and operators to immediately disconnect industrial control systems and devices from the public internet; if remote access is required, protect it behind a firewall or edge device kept up to date. Additional recommendations include creating a dedicated VLAN to isolate OT devices from business networks, replacing default passwords with strong, unique credentials and enabling phishing-resistant multi-factor authentication, applying patches promptly and retiring unsupported legacy devices, maintaining a device/IP allow-list restricting OT access, keeping offsite and offline backups, and enabling and regularly reviewing logs for unusual activity.
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CISA, FBI Warn of Ongoing Attacks on Industrial Refrigeration Systems Linked to Suspected Iranian Actors
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CISA, the FBI, and the U.S. Departments of Agriculture, Health and Human Services, and Transportation issued a joint advisory warning of an 'ongoing cyber threat' targeting internet-connected industrial refrigeration and cold chain monitoring systems. The warning follows waves of attacks against supermarket freezers across the United Kingdom and Europe, a French blood bank, and U.S. military refrigeration units, in which attackers manipulated temperature settings to spoil food, threaten blood supplies, and risk fire hazards or equipment damage. Some compromised systems were manufactured by Danish company Danfoss, which had stopped providing security updates for the affected units. While the U.S. has not formally attributed the attacks, researchers and officials reportedly suspect Iran is behind the campaign.
Technical Details
Attackers are reportedly gaining remote access to internet-exposed refrigeration control systems and forcing units into continuous heating and defrost cycles, causing inventory loss and equipment hazards. Affected sectors span food, agriculture, transportation, and medical cold-chain operations, including a blood bank in France where an attack on refrigerated blood storage was stopped before causing losses, and U.S. military bases currently under Department of Defense investigation.
Remediation
CISA, the FBI, and partner agencies urge affected organizations to remove remote-control refrigeration systems from direct internet exposure, change and strengthen passwords, apply available patches, and retire equipment no longer supported by vendors.
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Cyberattacks Alter Refrigeration Controls Across European Supermarkets, Forcing Food Discards
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On November 2, attackers remotely altered refrigeration settings at supermarkets and food suppliers across multiple European countries, forcing stores to discard chilled and frozen food. Affected retailers include ICA (Sweden), Coop (Sweden), Delhaize and Carrefour (Belgium/Luxembourg), Musgrave Group/SuperValu (Ireland), Edeka (Germany), and UK suppliers including Langridge Organic and three abattoirs monitored by the Association of Independent Meat Suppliers. The incidents follow an earlier wave in France on October 12 that caused food losses and reported fires at hundreds of stores, investigated by CERT-FR. Attackers appear to exploit internet-exposed refrigeration controllers, including Danfoss AK-SM/AK-SC and Copeland/Dixell XWEB systems, switching evaporators into defrost mode and disabling temperature alert messages. No attacker attribution has been established, and the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) is assisting affected organizations.
Technical Details
Belgian refrigeration company Sabcobel reported attackers switched evaporators into defrost mode, warming equipment; some fixes required physical intervention rather than software patches alone. In the UK, Langridge Organic had six of ten cold-room controllers altered, with automated temperature-alert messages disabled; staff caught the issue via manual checks. Copeland confirmed its Dixell XWEB controls were identified in UK incidents and is circulating patching guidance. A prior Forescout Vedere Labs scan (reported October 26) found 12,976 internet-exposed refrigeration services across 6,017 public IPs in 99 countries/territories, highlighting the attack surface of management interfaces controlling temperature, defrost schedules, and alarms.
Remediation
CERT-FR recommends removing public internet access to refrigeration controllers, reviewing configurations, updating firmware, changing default passwords, and routing remote maintenance through a secured VPN or protected network. It warns that resetting an unsupported controller without addressing underlying weaknesses leaves it exposed to repeat compromise. Danfoss has similarly advised customers against exposing refrigeration controls directly to the internet.
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European Cold-Chain Refrigeration Systems Hit by Remote Access Attacks
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Recent incidents in Europe show attackers targeting temperature-controlled infrastructure, such as commercial refrigeration and cold-storage systems, by abusing exposed Internet connectivity and weak remote access controls. The attacks highlight how OT environments supporting food storage and other temperature-sensitive operations share the same security weaknesses as traditional industrial control systems. Beyond food supply chains, the article notes that similar combinations of Internet-facing connectivity, remote access tools, and poor security hygiene could expose temperature-controlled infrastructure in other critical sectors, including pharmaceuticals and healthcare cold storage. The piece frames these fridge attacks as a wake-up call for cold-chain operators to reassess exposure of remote management interfaces and strengthen authentication and network segmentation.
Remediation
Organizations operating temperature-controlled or cold-chain infrastructure should audit Internet-facing remote access points, enforce strong authentication, segment OT networks from IT and the Internet, and monitor for unauthorized access to refrigeration and climate-control systems.
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IoT Attack Spikes Supermarket Freezer Temperatures to 50°C Across Seven European Countries
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On the night of Monday, November 2, 2026, threat actors remotely tampered with internet-connected refrigeration systems in supermarkets across seven European countries, causing freezer and fridge temperatures to spike to 50°C. Delhaize, Belgium's largest retailer, confirmed problems across dozens of stores. The incident highlights the growing exposure of IoT-connected industrial and retail equipment to cyberattacks, raising concerns about food safety, operational disruption, and the security posture of connected cold-chain infrastructure. The article is behind a paywall and provides limited technical detail on the attack vector or responsible actor.
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Suspected OT attacks hit refrigeration systems at supermarkets in Sweden, Belgium and Luxembourg
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Supermarket chains in Sweden, Belgium, and Luxembourg have reported a new wave of suspected cyberattacks targeting refrigeration systems, following an earlier incident in which attackers reportedly manipulated cooling equipment across hundreds of French stores, causing significant food losses. Unlike typical IT-focused attacks, these incidents affect operational technology (OT) controlling refrigeration, with potential consequences including spoiled food, interrupted operations, financial losses, and food safety risks. Michael Ferdinandsen, CEO of Danish industrial cybersecurity firm Secomea, says the incidents highlight that many retailers lack sufficient control over third-party remote access to refrigeration equipment, which is often exposed to the internet or granted overly broad access by external service providers and maintenance technicians. Investigators are still examining the latest suspected attacks, and no technical details of the intrusion method have been disclosed.
Remediation
Secomea recommends adopting OT-native secure remote access architectures that control connections at the individual asset level rather than granting broad network access, using Edge Gateways near operational assets, centralized access management, granular permissions, and audit logging. The company points to Danish firm AK-Centralen, which uses this approach to remotely monitor refrigeration systems across more than 1,500 supermarkets without direct access to internal networks, as a model combining operational efficiency with stronger security controls. Broader recommendations include vulnerability management, network segmentation, system updates, and continuous monitoring of third-party remote access across OT environments.
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Cyberattacks on Supermarket Refrigeration Systems Hit 7 European Countries, Force Food Disposal
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A new wave of cyberattacks struck supermarket refrigeration systems across Sweden, Ireland, Netherlands, Estonia, Finland, Belgium and Luxembourg on Monday, November 2, 2026, causing unauthorized temperature changes in refrigerators and freezers and forcing retailers to discard spoiled food. The incident follows a similar attack less than a month earlier that hit over 500 stores in France, renewing concerns about the digital vulnerability of Europe's food supply chain. Affected retailers include Carrefour (~15 of 700 Belgian stores), an Ikea unit in Mons, the butcher chain De Laet & Van Haver in Antwerp (temperatures reaching 18°C), Ahold Delhaize, Colruyt Group's Spar stores, Intermarché, Coop and ICA in Sweden (one freezer reached 50°C), Musgrave's SuperValu chain in Ireland, Kesko in Finland, Selver in Estonia, and smaller retailers in the Netherlands. No group has claimed responsibility, and Belgian and EU officials warn attribution may never be determined.
Technical Details
Many affected systems reportedly use temperature control technology from Danish manufacturer Danfoss, the same vendor implicated in the earlier French attacks. Danfoss stated it is working with customers to implement security fixes. Researcher Tom Hegel of SentinelOne noted that attackers likely accessed exposed control panels, leaving minimal forensic traces, making it difficult to distinguish between a lone actor and a state-sponsored operation. The absence of ransom demands in these incidents suggests possible sabotage rather than extortion motives.
Remediation
Danfoss is reportedly working with affected customers to implement security patches for the exposed control systems; no further technical remediation details were provided in the article.
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Cyber-Attack on Refrigeration Systems Disrupts Supermarkets Across Nine European Countries
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A cyber-attack targeting internet-connected refrigeration systems has struck supermarkets in at least nine European countries—Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden—causing freezer and fridge temperatures to be remotely set as high as 50°C, destroying food stock. The incident follows a similar October 2026 attack on refrigeration providers Danfoss and Copeland that affected French supermarket chains, suggesting a possible connection or copycat campaign. Affected retailers include SuperValu in Ireland (13 stores precautionarily cleared of stock), ICA Sweden, and an Ikea outlet in Mons, Belgium. The UK has also reported limited exploitation of vulnerable refrigeration technology per the NCSC. No threat actor has claimed responsibility, but EU officials suspect a deliberate, possibly nation-state-linked attempt to disrupt Europe's food supply chain.
Technical Details
Attackers appear to have gained remote access to internet-connected refrigeration units, reprogramming temperature controls to extreme levels (~50°C/122°F), spoiling chilled and frozen goods. The attack vector has not been confirmed, but the pattern mirrors the Danfoss/Copeland incident from October 2026 affecting the same category of connected industrial refrigeration equipment. Sweden's NCSC and the UK NCSC are coordinating with counterparts across Nordic and European countries to assess scope and exploited vulnerabilities.
Remediation
Affected retailers removed chilled and frozen products from shelves as a precaution. The UK NCSC has alerted potentially affected companies. EU Agriculture and Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen stated the incidents will be discussed at the EU's Security College to review retailers' contingency plans and incident response capabilities.
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Second Wave of Supermarket Refrigeration Cyberattacks Hits Seven European Countries
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A second wave of suspected cyberattacks against supermarket refrigeration systems struck Belgium, Sweden, Luxembourg, Finland and Ireland (among seven countries) on 2 November 2026, following earlier attacks on French supermarkets in October that caused widespread food spoilage. Affected retailers reportedly include Carrefour, Intermarché, Coop, ICA and Delhaize, with attackers manipulating refrigeration temperatures up to 50°C. The perpetrators and motive remain unconfirmed, but the attacks highlight the exposure of internet-connected operational technology, particularly remote refrigeration management platforms such as Copeland/Dixell XWEB and Danfoss StoreView. Research from Forescout Research – Vedere Labs found nearly 13,000 internet-exposed refrigeration service observations across 99 countries, tied to over 6,000 distinct public IPs, many running outdated software.
Technical Details
Attackers appear to exploit unsecured remote access capabilities on refrigeration management systems to switch cooling units into defrost mode, raising temperatures and spoiling stock. Experts note these IoT/OT devices often run outdated firmware, lack processing power for modern security controls, and are frequently exposed to the internet via cellular, wired or Wi-Fi connections for remote monitoring, making them attractive, low-sophistication targets for disruption rather than data theft.
Remediation
Security specialists recommend identifying internet-exposed refrigeration and OT equipment, restricting unnecessary remote/internet access, applying available firmware updates, deploying network-level monitoring to detect anomalous communications, and incorporating operational technology into incident response and business continuity planning, including procedures for handling spoiled inventory and restoring correct temperatures.
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Over 100 European stores hit as Danfoss and Copeland refrigeration controllers are hijacked in a second attack wave
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More than 100 stores in Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden had refrigerators and freezers forced to heat up overnight from Sunday to Monday. Problems were also reported in Finland, Italy and Portugal. The incidents resemble the attacks of 11-12 October that hit about 700 French supermarkets, but investigators have not established whether the two waves are linked, and no one has claimed responsibility. The affected devices are reportedly Danfoss and Copeland refrigeration controllers with internet-reachable management interfaces. Officials have not publicly explained how the attackers got in. The EU agriculture commissioner called the attacks a deliberate attempt to disrupt the food supply chain.
Technical Details
- In the first wave (France, 11-12 October), refrigeration units at about 700 stores were forced into defrost mode, including Intermarché, Carrefour, Coopérative U and Monoprix. Food was spoiled and fires were reportedly caused. CERT-FR tied the compromises to Danfoss AK-SM and AK-SC controllers, then extended its alert to Copeland and Dixell XWEB systems. Danfoss said most compromised units were legacy products it no longer updates.
- In the new wave, a Belgian refrigeration firm (Sabcobel) said attackers forced the evaporators into defrost mode, as in France. Some units were set as high as 50°C. Sabcobel said a software update is not enough and the equipment also needs physical modification.
- Researcher Kevin Beaumont said every freezer hit on Monday had an internet-reachable management interface. Many devices are end-of-life with no patch available.
- Lupovis saw suspicious activity against its Danfoss AK-SM sensors between 20 and 30 October, peaking on 26 October. Most login attempts used factory-default credentials documented publicly, and others appeared to fingerprint specific controller components. All attempts were rejected.
- Censys counts just over 1,000 Danfoss StoreView interfaces online. Exposed instances in France fell from 1,825 before the attacks to 220. About 41% of the French instances still online appear patched, against 68% in Belgium (138 exposed), 37% in the Netherlands (51) and 58% in Sweden (50). Censys did not say whether patched devices were among those compromised on Monday.
- Reported impact: Delhaize (several dozen stores in Belgium, four in Luxembourg), Carrefour Belgium (15 locations), Colruyt (five Spar shops), an IKEA store in Mons, SuperValu in Ireland (13 stores), ICA and Coop in Sweden, Kesko in Finland, Coop-branded stores in Sicily, seven Intermarché stores in Portugal, and at least 17 businesses in the Netherlands. The Belgian federal prosecutor has opened an investigation.
Remediation
- Danfoss told customers on 13 October to cut their systems' internet connections and reconnect only through a secure network. Some stores did not act.
- Remove management interfaces of refrigeration controllers from the internet, change default credentials, and apply available firmware updates. Replace or physically modify end-of-life units that cannot be patched.
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Second wave of attacks on Danfoss refrigeration controls hits supermarkets in Belgium, Sweden, Estonia and the Netherlands
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Attackers remotely changed settings on internet-connected refrigeration controls at supermarkets in Belgium, Sweden, Estonia and the Netherlands overnight into 2 November 2026, warming fridges and freezers. The incident comes about three weeks after attacks on hundreds of French supermarkets. Danfoss confirmed its products were involved, and Copeland equipment was reportedly hit in Belgium. No chain reported more than several dozen affected stores, and some discarded or pulled chilled and frozen food. No group has claimed the attacks, and attribution and any link to the French campaign are unknown. Belgium's federal prosecutor has opened a criminal investigation.
Technical Details
- In Belgium, attackers switched cooling units into defrost mode (Sabcobel, which manages systems for Delhaize, knows of about 20 affected units). Elsewhere the temperature setpoint was raised, for example to 50°C at an ICA store in Sjöbo (Sweden) and at a Selver store in Estonia.
- Belgian attackers got into individual supermarkets' systems, not those of refrigeration contractors, according to Sabcobel.
- Danfoss told NOS that the affected Dutch systems were not on a secure network and still used default passwords. It also said the weakness lies mainly in outdated software.
- In Estonia, an older Danfoss controller that had not been updated was reached. The article does not say how attackers got in in Sweden.
- CERT-FR's alert (last updated 16 October) covers Danfoss AK-SM and AK-SC series controllers, plus Copeland xweb and Dixell xweb. It says the campaigns are probably still underway. In October, Danfoss said most units hit in France were end-of-life AK-SM 800 and AK-SC 355 models.
- Danfoss, Sabcobel and Kitman said the method matched or resembled the French attack. A shared method does not show the same actors are behind both.
- Danfoss's advisories page listed no advisory on these attacks as of 3 November.
Remediation
- Make sure devices cannot be reached from the internet, including any device on a public IP. Restore remote access only through a secure VPN or protected network. Filtering contractor IPs at a firewall is an emergency measure only.
- Check the whole configuration, especially defrost schedules.
- Update firmware. On Danfoss devices, set the security level to Strict and change default passwords.
- For compromised devices, restart or factory-reset the Danfoss device and reconfigure it before returning it to service.
- End-of-life devices that no longer get fixes are very likely to be compromised if left online, and a factory reset alone does not protect them.
- Sweden's National Cybersecurity Centre advises inventorying internet-connected devices, deciding whether each needs a connection, and layering protections on those that stay connected.
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Refrigeration failures at supermarkets in Belgium, Luxembourg and Sweden raise suspicion of cyberattacks
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Supermarket chains in several European countries reported refrigeration failures on 2 November 2026, raising suspicion of attacks on internet-connected equipment. In Belgium, five Spar stores operated by Colruyt Group, nearly 15 Carrefour stores and dozens of Ahold Delhaize (Delhaize) stores in Belgium and Luxembourg were affected, and ICA and Coop stores in Sweden reported similar problems. The incidents come about a month after a cyberattack on hundreds of supermarkets in France, where police said attackers took control of refrigeration systems and raised temperatures to as much as 50ºC, causing fires and food losses. No authority has named a culprit and no group has claimed responsibility.
Technical Details
- The CEO of Sabcobel, the Belgian refrigeration company that supplies Delhaize's systems, said a cyberattack triggered the evaporators into defrost mode, heating the equipment.
- Delhaize reported a temperature rise in its refrigeration systems.
- In October, Ahold Delhaize reported a cybersecurity incident to Dutch police after noticing suspicious activity in its infrastructure. The article does not link it to these events.
- The article attributes the exposure to alarms, refrigerators, cameras and heating systems being connected to networks for remote monitoring and control.
- No IOCs, CVEs or intrusion vectors were disclosed.
Remediation
The article gives no remediation guidance.
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Hackers manipulate supermarket refrigeration systems in at least seven European countries, forcing product removals
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A new wave of attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems hit grocery chains in at least seven European countries on Nov. 2: Sweden, Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Affected retailers include ICA, Coop, Ahold Delhaize, Colruyt, Carrefour, Intermarché, SuperValu, Selver and an IKEA store in Belgium. Attackers manipulated temperature controls, reportedly raising freezers to 50 °C and forcing retailers to pull chilled and frozen goods. The wave follows a similar attack in France the previous month, which reportedly hit hundreds of supermarkets and caused fires and major food losses. No attribution has been established, and authorities have not said whether the incidents are linked to the French attack.
Technical Details
- Kitman Coldtech, the Estonian refrigeration provider, said attackers exploited an older Danfoss refrigeration system. Other Estonian clients may also have been targeted.
- At Selver in Estonia, attackers accessed a computer controlling the refrigeration system and raised the freezer temperature to 50 °C. The technology partner detected the attack quickly and prevented damage.
- In Ireland, SuperValu said a specific refrigeration system model was affected in 13 of its 223 stores. The Irish NCSC said the incidents may be related to a known vulnerability, but the article gives no CVE.
- Sweden's National Cybersecurity Centre identified a significant number of exposed OT devices that need updates or patches.
- An ICA franchise store in Stockholm said the attack occurred around 2 a.m. but was noticed only hours later, and the frozen inventory was destroyed.
- Reported scope: Coop, six stores; Ahold Delhaize, dozens of stores in Belgium and Luxembourg; Colruyt, five stores; Carrefour Belgium, about 15 of 700 stores; Intermarché, 15 stores.
Remediation
- Patch or update exposed OT and refrigeration devices.
- Control who can remotely access equipment, what they can reach and what they can do.
- Ask suppliers how long products will be supported and how vulnerabilities will be handled.
- Operators and their suppliers are responsible for the affected systems, according to the Irish NCSC.
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Hackers remotely tamper with refrigeration controls at 115+ supermarkets across six European countries
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A cyberattack hit refrigeration and freezer systems at more than 115 stores in Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Luxembourg, Ireland and Estonia. Attackers remotely changed temperature settings, shut units down or triggered defrost cycles, causing product losses. Affected chains include ICA, Coop, Ahold Delhaize, Carrefour, Spar Colruyt, Intermarché, SuperValu and Selver, plus butcher shops, an Ikea store in Mons and chocolate shops. It is unclear whether the attacks were coordinated or targeted individually. The vendor Sabcobel says the attacker used the same vulnerability as in similar attacks in France the previous month.
Technical Details
- An ICA store manager told TV4 that temperatures were set to +50°C (122°F) and could not be changed.
- Ahold Delhaize warned store managers by SMS around 4 a.m. Some stores used refrigerated trucks to preserve stock.
- RTL identified Sabcobel as the refrigeration vendor at several impacted sites. Its director, Stephan Moelans, attributed the disruption to remotely activated defrost functions and said technicians began disconnecting installations from 1 a.m.
- The vulnerability is not named in the article. The France attacks the previous month affected hundreds of stores using Danfoss AK-SM/AK-SC and Copeland/Dixell XWEB controllers, which remote attackers set to defrost mode.
- Some affected stores operate outside the chains' central networks, such as independent Spar stores and ICA stores, each with their own refrigeration systems.
Remediation
- Sabcobel says a software update alone is not enough, because the refrigerators also need physical modifications.
- Sabcobel recommends managing the refrigerators over a secure internet connection. It says most clients adopted this after the France attack.
- Affected installations were disconnected from the network.
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Second wave of attacks on internet-exposed refrigeration controllers spoils food in Belgian, Luxembourg and Swedish supermarkets
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A second wave of cyberattacks hit supermarkets in Belgium, Luxembourg and Sweden around 1-2 November 2026, about three weeks after the October attack on French retailers. Attackers remotely switched refrigeration evaporators to defrost mode or raised freezer temperatures (up to 50 °C in Sweden), spoiling refrigerated food. Affected chains include Delhaize, Carrefour and Spar in Belgium, Delhaize in Luxembourg, and Coop and Ica in Sweden. Colruyt and Intermarche reported "technical problems" without confirming a cyberattack. Attribution is still unknown.
Technical Details
- Belgian reports say the mechanism is the same as in the October attack in France, which targeted refrigeration control and monitoring systems from Danfoss, Copeland and Dixell, according to ANSSI.
- The root cause is remotely exploitable vulnerabilities in internet-exposed management interfaces. Researcher Kevin Beaumont confirmed the affected freezers are all management-interface-facing internet with the same issue as last time. He added that many are end of life with no patch available.
- Ica said the affected stores had connections outside its central network.
- Sabcobel says a thorough fix needs a software update plus physical modification of the units.
Remediation
- Disconnect refrigeration controllers from the internet and manage them over a secure connection. Most Sabcobel customers switched to this after the French attack.
- Apply the vendor software update and the physical modification Sabcobel describes.
- Replace or isolate end-of-life units that have no patch.
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Second wave of attacks on Danfoss-linked supermarket refrigeration hits Delhaize and Colruyt stores in four European countries
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A second wave of suspected cyberattacks has hit supermarket refrigeration across Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg and Sweden, raising temperatures and spoiling food at dozens of stores. Ahold Delhaize and Colruyt confirmed the incidents. A Belgian company that operates Delhaize's systems said the attackers changed the settings to defrost, per Reuters. The wave follows earlier attacks in France last month that spoiled food at hundreds of supermarkets. The article gives no attribution for the European attacks, though US Department of Defense officials are reportedly investigating whether freezer units on military bases were hacked by Iran-backed actors.
Technical Details
- Security researchers attribute the French incidents to internet-connected refrigeration units made by Danfoss, which no longer receives security updates.
- Claroty warned in August that these units were at risk of remote hacks and outages.
- The attackers deliberately changed temperature or defrost settings.
- The article does not state the exact access method, any CVEs or any IOCs, and does not confirm that the second wave involved the same Danfoss devices.
Remediation
The article gives no explicit guidance. Its implication is that internet-exposed, end-of-life refrigeration controllers carry a real risk of remote tampering.
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Refrigeration systems hacked at dozens of supermarkets in Belgium, Sweden, Ireland and Luxembourg, causing mass food spoilage
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Grocery stores in Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg and Sweden reported on 2 November 2026 that their refrigerators and freezers had been remotely manipulated overnight, with temperatures raised to 50-55°C and units put into defrost mode. Around 40 Delhaize stores in Belgium were hit, along with about 15 Carrefour stores and sites of Intermarché, Spar and Shop & Go. In Sweden, ICA confirmed an incident at a small number of stores operating outside its central network, and six Coop stores were also affected. At least 13 SuperValu stores in Ireland, owned by Musgrave, were affected as well. Stores threw out their fresh and frozen stock. No actor has been named and no company answered questions about attribution.
Technical Details
- Attackers reportedly switched the units into defrost mode and raised temperatures to 50-55°C.
- ICA said the affected stores operate outside its central network.
- The wave follows attacks in mid-October 2026 on French chains (Carrefour, Coopérative U, Intermarché, Monoprix and others). In those, some stores ran outdated firmware on Danfoss AK-SM and AK-SC refrigeration controllers, and CERT-FR published an alert on those compromises.
- The article states it is unclear whether the new attacks used the same methods or the same Danfoss equipment as in France.
Remediation
The article gives no remediation guidance. Delhaize said its distribution centres are operating normally and that it took measures to keep stores operational.
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Fridge cyberattacks hit supermarkets in Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden and Estonia, setting refrigeration to defrost mode at 50°C
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A new wave of attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems hit retailers in Belgium, Luxembourg, Sweden and Estonia overnight on 2 November 2026, raising fridge and freezer temperatures and causing food losses. Affected chains include Delhaize (Ahold Delhaize), Colruyt/Spar, Carrefour, ICA, Coop and an unnamed Estonian chain. The incidents follow a similar mid-October attack on hundreds of French supermarkets that targeted Danfoss equipment. No actor has claimed responsibility and authorities have not attributed the attacks.
Technical Details
- Attackers appear to have remotely triggered the forced defrost function in continuous mode with a 50°C setpoint. Sabcobel's CEO said evaporators were switched to defrost mode.
- In Sweden, stores reported temperatures set to 50°C. Consultant Emil Olofsson (Integrity 360) said some units reached 80°C and caught fire, a figure that differs from the police number.
- Scale: about 40 Delhaize stores in Belgium were reportedly affected, five Colruyt-run Spar stores, at least 6 ICA stores and 6 Coop stores in central Sweden. Le Soir reported dozens of Delhaize and Carrefour stores.
- Likely access: in the French case, Olofsson said attackers obtained login credentials for control systems exposed directly to the internet. He called the hack simple, so it may have been done by amateurs. The Swedish cyber centre's John Billow noted many exposed OT devices in Sweden.
- The cause of the Swedish incidents is officially unknown. Ahold's separate October report to Dutch police has no reported link to these incidents.
Remediation
- Remove OT and refrigeration control interfaces from direct internet exposure.
- Patch and update exposed devices, as Swedish authorities have urged.
- Rotate and protect credentials for control systems.
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Hackers disrupt refrigeration systems at ICA and Coop supermarkets across Sweden, freezer reaches 55°C
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Refrigeration systems at several ICA and Coop supermarkets across Sweden were disrupted by hackers, destroying perishable stock and forcing temporary closures. One store manager in Böda, Öland, found a freezer at 55°C. Affected stores span Skåne, Öland, Värmland and reportedly Stockholm, plus six Coop stores in Gästrikland and Hälsingland (per SVT). The incident follows similar attacks on French supermarket refrigeration and a reported Estonian case with remotely altered +50°C settings, but no link has been established.
Technical Details
- ICA says the affected refrigeration systems were connected independently of its central network.
- No exploited vulnerabilities, malware families, controller models or threat actors have been identified.
- It is unconfirmed whether set points, defrost cycles or cooling were manipulated.
- Separate research on Copeland commercial refrigeration controller flaws showed cooling can be disabled while normal temperatures are displayed. No evidence links those flaws to the Swedish incidents.
- Investigators still need to determine the initial access method and whether the stores share a refrigeration supplier, maintenance provider or remote-management infrastructure.
Remediation
- Restrict management access to internet-exposed OT.
- Enforce multifactor authentication.
- Segment control networks.
- Monitor configuration changes.
- Deploy independent temperature alarms and continuous monitoring.
Sweden's National Cybersecurity Centre (part of FRA) is assisting the affected organizations.