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Cyberattacks on European Supermarket Fridges Reach UK Meat Suppliers
UK meat firms hit as hackers push up supermarket fridge temperatures across Europe, the NCSC says.
Key points
- Retailers in Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden reported refrigeration problems on Monday.
- One company's cold units heated to 100C, while Aims said the affected units were empty and no produce was lost.
- The NCSC said the attackers used vulnerabilities that had been 'out there for a long period of time' and were not AI-enabled.
Why it matters. The NCSC says AI may expose more unpatched flaws in IT networks, so manufacturers may need to be pushed to make devices safer and consumers may need to accept paying more for them.
The National Cyber Security Centre said on Tuesday it was working with British firms hit by hackers who raised freezer temperatures across Europe. Retailers in Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden reported refrigeration problems on Monday, with some temperatures reaching 50C (122F). Chichester said the national impact was minimal, while NCSC chief executive Richard Horne called the attacks the 'foothills' of a wider threat.
Latest updates
Cyberattacks on European Supermarket Fridges Reach UK Meat Suppliers
UK meat suppliers have been affected by a wave of cyberattacks on refrigeration systems across Europe. Cybersecurity experts say the incidents had a minimal effect on operations. They warn the attacks may represent the early stages, or "foothills", of a wider threat to the food supply chain. The Guardian reported that the attacks targeted supermarket refrigerators. Further information on the scale and attribution of the attacks has not yet been confirmed.