Cyber‑attack forces supermarket freezers to thaw across seven European nations
A coordinated cyber intrusion caused refrigerator and freezer units to enter defrost mode, prompting food waste and costly losses in multiple countries.
Overview of the incident
Dozens of supermarkets in seven European countries experienced a cyber‑attack that forced refrigerators and freezers to warm up, with temperatures reported as high as 50°C (122°F).
Geographic scope
Approximately 40 Delhaize stores in Belgium and Luxembourg were affected.
Smaller numbers of shops in Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands, Estonia and Finland also reported problems.
Technical cause
Sabcobel, the Belgian company that manufactures some of the compromised refrigeration units, said the attack switched the units’ evaporators to defrost mode, causing them to warm up. The method mirrors the technique used in a similar incident that hit French supermarkets in early October.
Response from Sabcobel
Stephan Moelans, CEO of Sabcobel, told the Belga news agency that the event was a cyber‑attack and that his team worked through the night to disconnect the affected units from the network. He added that, since the French incident, the company has been trying to protect customers’ fridges, but the fix requires physical modifications rather than just software updates.
Moelans noted that most European supermarkets now manage their refrigeration equipment over a secure internet connection, a practice many adopted after the French attack.
Financial impact
Local media reported that millions of euros worth of food were discarded in October. A Delhaize branch in Hoeilaart, Flanders, disclosed a loss of €100,000 (£83,500) in produce.
Investigations and monitoring
National cyber‑security agencies in Belgium and Sweden said they are monitoring the situation. The UK’s National Cyber Security Centre said it is working with international partners and industry to fully understand the incident, though no UK supermarkets have reported problems.
In the United States, authorities are examining refrigeration failures at several military bases in August and are coordinating with French officials to determine any possible link.
Current status
While the attacker’s identity remains unknown, the affected supermarkets are taking steps to isolate the compromised units and assess further risks.
