A wave of suspected cyberattacks has caused significant temperature spikes in supermarket refrigeration systems across several European countries, including Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Sweden. The incidents, which occurred overnight, have targeted grocery store infrastructure, raising concerns about the security of systems that were historically mechanical but have increasingly become digital and connected. On Monday, retailers and authorities pointed to alleged cyberattacks that underscored the vulnerability of systems that once largely operated mechanically.
In Sweden, the national cybersecurity centre is currently addressing multiple reports of cooling failures. John Billow, head of the agency, noted that recent weeks have revealed a concerning number of exposed operational technology devices within the country. He emphasized that authorities have consistently warned about the urgent need for software patches and updates to secure this equipment.
Major Swedish retailers confirmed the breach, with ICA and Coop reporting sudden temperature rises in their store freezers. Additionally, Axfood stated that cooling systems at a distribution center for home grocery deliveries in the Gothenburg area were compromised. Some stores reported that their equipment settings were altered to match the configurations observed during a recent, similar attack in France, where temperatures reached 50 degrees Celsius (122F), resulting in food spoilage and fires.
The impact extended to Ireland, where SuperValu reported that a specific model of refrigeration units across 13 of its 223 locations suffered a cyber incident. Meanwhile, in Belgium and Luxembourg, the Belga news agency reported temperature issues at numerous Ahold Delhaize stores. Stephan Moelans, CEO of the refrigeration firm Sabcobel, attributed these disruptions to a cyberattack that forced unit evaporators into defrost mode. Colruyt Group also confirmed that five of its Spar franchise shops experienced similar unauthorized access. According to the chief executive of refrigeration company, Sabcobel, they were blamed on a cyberattack.
Estonia was also affected, with technology supplier Kitman Coldtech confirming at least one local supermarket chain faced temperature spikes set to 50 degrees Celsius. CEO Jann Mutso described the situation as fresh, noting it occurred during the morning hours. This follows an earlier cybersecurity incident reported by Ahold Delhaize to Dutch police last month.
While there has been no formal claim of responsibility for the latest attacks or the preceding incidents in France, European officials are treating the events with gravity. European Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Christophe Hansen described the breaches as a calculated effort to undermine public confidence and disrupt food supply chains across the bloc.
A spokesperson for the European Commission highlighted the broader risks, stating that such incidents demonstrate how cyberattacks can disrupt essential services, damage businesses, and directly impact the daily lives of citizens. The commission is now stressing the critical importance of enhancing cybersecurity standards across all member states.
Security experts at The Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium identified a growing trend in such attacks, particularly those involving the targeted application of artificial intelligence. Officials cautioned, however, that the sophisticated nature of these breaches means that identifying the perpetrators remains a significant challenge, with the spokesperson noting it may never be possible to determine who is behind the attacks.
These developments have intensified anxieties regarding the potential for hybrid warfare, a topic that has gained prominence following geopolitical tensions involving Russia and Ukraine. While European states have previously blamed Moscow for various infrastructure-related incidents, Russia has consistently denied any involvement in such sabotage operations.
