Hackers changed the temperature settings on refrigeration systems at supermarkets across Europe. In some stores they shut freezers off or kicked on the defrost cycle, and food was lost before managers caught it early in the morning.
BleepingComputer counts more than 115 stores in Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Luxembourg, Ireland and Estonia. That includes around 40 Ahold Delhaize stores, 15 Carrefour stores, 15 Intermarché, 7 Coop and at least 4 ICA locations. At one Coop store, the system started making heat.
It’s not clear yet whether it was one coordinated attack. Several chains said the hit systems ran outside their main networks, often managed by independent store owners. The Register says it has happened before.
My take
This is what happens when building systems get put on the internet with a vendor login and nobody watching. Refrigeration, HVAC and door controllers belong on their own segment, behind a VPN, with real credentials and logging. That goes for small businesses and home labs too.
God Bless, and Needs Garlic!
