Cyberattack Hits Supermarket Refrigeration Systems Across Europe
Hackers remotely raised freezer temperatures to 50°C at supermarkets in Belgium, Sweden, and Ireland, causing massive food spoilage across multiple retail chains.
A coordinated cyberattack targeted the remote defrost software of supermarket refrigeration systems across Europe overnight into November 2, 2026. Hackers remotely increased temperatures in cooling units to between 50°C and 70°C, causing catastrophic food spoilage and the loss of hundreds of thousands of euros in merchandise.
In Belgium, the attack affected approximately 40 Ahold Delhaize stores, 15 Carrefour locations, 15 Intermarché stores, and five Spar stores. In Sweden, ICA and Coop reported similar disruptions, with the ICA branch in Sjöbo forced to close temporarily. In Ireland, 13 SuperValu stores were forced to dump chilled and frozen produce.
Industry experts and the French National Cybersecurity Agency linked the event to a larger attack in France on October 12, which affected hundreds of stores. That incident was attributed to a vulnerability in outdated firmware from software supplier Danfoss. The U.S. Department of Defense is currently investigating whether these events are linked to freezer malfunctions at six military bases in August.
EU Agriculture and Food Commissioner Christophe Hanson stated the incidents demonstrate how cyberattacks can directly disrupt food security. While some retailers have implemented secure internet connections to mitigate the risk, others remain vulnerable to the exploit.
