Cyber-attacks on supermarket refrigeration units in Germany – food destroyed
Hackers have infiltrated refrigeration units in German supermarkets and raised temperatures to over 50 degrees. Large quantities of food had to be disposed of.
Cyber-attacks on supermarket refrigeration units in Germany
Hackers have attacked refrigeration units in supermarkets in Germany, according to Die Zeit Kriminalität, and massively increased temperatures. In an Edeka supermarket in Reisbach, Lower Bavaria, the units are said to have been heated to 50 degrees after attackers permanently activated the defrost function. Tonnes of food subsequently spoiled and had to be disposed of.
According to current information, supermarkets in North Rhine-Westphalia, Bremen and Bavaria are affected. Cybercrime specialists from the police are investigating; according to a statement from a Bavarian police spokesperson, the attack is believed to have taken place in the early morning hours. An Edeka spokesperson said affected goods were immediately removed from sale. The manufacturer of the cooling systems is currently investigating how the attack was possible.
The attacks may be connected to recent hacking attacks on supermarket refrigeration units in other European countries. On Monday, branches of Swedish chains ICA and Coop were affected; in mid-October, more than 100 French supermarkets were hit by a similar cyber-attack. The attackers also manipulated the defrost function there, resulting in huge quantities of fresh and frozen food being destroyed.
In the earlier hacking attacks, controls from manufacturer Danfoss were predominantly affected. The company stated that these were outdated devices that no longer receive software and security updates. How significantly the attacks in Germany could escalate is unclear. The total number of affected supermarkets and the extent of damage are currently unknown and rising. Who is behind the attacks and whether the cases are connected remains unclear.
Source: Die Zeit Kriminalität