---
title: "Cyberattacks Target Refrigeration Systems at European Supermarkets"
url: https://newscentral.site/cyberattacks-target-refrigeration-systems-at-european-supermarkets/
language: en
publisher: "News Central Site"
section: "World"
published: 2026-11-02T11:56:47.000Z
updated: 2026-11-03T04:43:35.883Z
id: d605f761-cbc8-4761-9bfc-5b469873f146
source: "NBC News World https://www.nbcnews.com/world/europe/european-supermarkets-hit-new-fridge-cyberattack-rcna606972"
attribution: "Link to https://newscentral.site/cyberattacks-target-refrigeration-systems-at-european-supermarkets/ and name News Central Site when you quote or summarize this story."
---

# Cyberattacks Target Refrigeration Systems at European Supermarkets

Reports have emerged of a new wave of apparent cyberattacks targeting refrigeration systems at supermarkets across Europe, causing temperature spikes and spoiled food at multiple locations.

The incidents have been reported in Sweden, the Netherlands, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Estonia, with temperatures rising to potentially hazardous levels. Authorities have yet to confirm who may be behind these attacks, leaving many questions unanswered. The affected countries are also grappling with broader security concerns stemming from Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine.

This latest cyberattack follows a similar incident last month in France, where hackers seized control of cooling units at hundreds of supermarkets, causing temperatures to soar and resulting in fires and significant food losses. While no claims of responsibility have been made for the recent attacks, experts are sounding alarm bells about the growing threat of digital disruptions to everyday life.

Supermarket chain Ahold Delhaize in the Netherlands has confirmed that it is investigating an "IT incident" affecting refrigeration systems at several stores, with teams working to assess the full extent of the problem. Meanwhile, a leading Belgian refrigeration company has identified the issue as a cyberattack, where hackers manipulated the units' evaporators to switch them into defrost mode.

The impact of the cyberattack on supermarkets across Europe is becoming increasingly clear, with several major chains reporting disruptions to their refrigeration systems. Colruyt Group, which operates Spar stores in Belgium under a franchise system, revealed that five of its shops had been targeted by the hackers.

Carrefour's Belgian operations reported an even more extensive but relatively contained impact, with 15 out of over 700 stores affected by the cyberattack on their refrigeration and freezer systems. The company said it is currently working to manage the incident in collaboration with ICA.

In Sweden, the ICA Kvantum branch in Sjöbo reported that its fridges and freezers had been hacked, causing them to malfunction and set to an extremely high temperature of 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The store immediately began discarding affected items.

Meanwhile, Coop's privately held grocery retail group said six of its stores had been targeted by similar cyber incidents in Sweden, while Irish food wholesaler Musgrave reported that a cyber incident had disrupted refrigeration systems at 13 of its SuperValu stores.

The Estonian company behind the affected technology has confirmed that one of its clients was targeted by a cyberattack in Estonia, where attackers accessed a computer controlling refrigeration and even raised the temperature to an extreme 122 degrees Fahrenheit.

This incident highlights the growing vulnerability of operational technology devices, which are increasingly connected to the internet. These devices, including refrigerators, heating systems, security cameras, and alarm networks, can now be monitored and controlled remotely, creating new opportunities for cybercriminals to exploit.

Sweden's national cybersecurity center is investigating several incidents affecting grocery stores across the country, with the head of the center, John Billow, warning that many operational technology devices in Sweden remain exposed due to outdated software.

---
Source: [NBC News World](https://www.nbcnews.com/world/europe/european-supermarkets-hit-new-fridge-cyberattack-rcna606972)  
Published by News Central Site: https://newscentral.site/cyberattacks-target-refrigeration-systems-at-european-supermarkets/