Cyberattack disrupts supermarket fridges across Europe and the UK
Retailers in at least nine European countries reported overheating refrigeration units, and some discarded food after temperatures rose overnight.
Key facts
Story- Supermarkets in at least nine European countries reported refrigeration failures, with temperatures rising overnight.
- Some retailers had to throw away food after the temperature rise.
- A cyberattack is linked to the problems, and the UK has also been affected.
Supermarkets in at least nine European countries reported that their fridges had failed on Monday, after a cyberattack hit refrigeration systems. Some retailers were forced to discard food after temperatures rose overnight. The countries named include Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden. The UK has also been affected.
Fridges were turned up in temperature, leaving stock at unsafe levels. Retailers in Ireland, Sweden and Belgium were among those that reported the problem on Monday. The number of stores affected in each country, and the value of the food lost, have not been given.
Scale of the disruption
The disruption spread across a wide area in a short time. The attack targeted refrigeration equipment, rather than the stores' tills or payment systems. It is not yet known how the attackers gained access to the systems, or whether any group has claimed responsibility.
Food retailers in India increasingly use networked refrigeration, so similar risks could arise there.
What is not yet known
It is not yet known whether the affected fridges belonged to one supplier or software provider. When normal temperatures were restored, and whether further attacks are expected, have not been stated. Retailers and the companies that run the equipment have not commented on the cause, the number of affected stores or the cost of the losses.
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