A fresh wave of cyberattacks has hit Europe’s supermarket refrigerators, destroying food across countries

Your groceries may be more expensive due to widespread food spoilage from these widespread cyberattacks.

A new wave of cyberattacks has targeted supermarket refrigerators across Europe, leading to significant food spoilage. Dozens of stores in Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Sweden have been affected, with supermarket chains like Ahold Delhaize and Colruyt confirming the incidents. Hackers reportedly altered refrigerator settings to "defrost" mode, causing temperatures to rise and rendering food unsalvanageable. This follows similar attacks in France last month. Security researchers attribute the vulnerabilities to internet-connected refrigerators from Danish company Danfoss, which are no longer receiving security updates. The incidents highlight the real-world impact of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, including the food supply chain, and echo a 2025 cyberattack on U.S. food distributor UNFI. U.S. Department of Defense officials are also investigating potential freezer unit hacks on military bases, with Iran-backed actors implicated in similar past attacks.

The recurring nature of these cyberattacks on critical food infrastructure, particularly targeting internet-connected appliances with outdated security, reveals a systemic vulnerability in supply chain cybersecurity. The reliance on legacy systems and the cessation of security updates by manufacturers like Danfoss create predictable entry points for malicious actors. This pattern suggests a growing risk for businesses operating with such IoT devices, as demonstrated by the varied impacts from food spoilage to potential disruptions in military supply chains.

The escalation of these attacks underscores the need for greater accountability and proactive security measures from both manufacturers and the retailers employing their equipment. As cyber threats evolve to exploit physical infrastructure, the focus must shift from mere data protection to the resilience of operational technology. Companies across all sectors utilizing IoT devices should anticipate increased scrutiny and regulatory pressure to implement robust security protocols, including regular patching and network segmentation, to prevent cascading real-world consequences.