Feds warn grocers: Don't chill on cyber defenses as freezer hacking spree heats up

What happened

The US government issued an advisory urging owners of industrial smart freezers to disconnect them from the internet, install security patches, change default passwords, and take other protective steps. The warning follows a wave of hacks on refrigeration systems in Europe.

Key numbers and facts

• Since mid-October, hackers have broken into thousands of remote-controlled refrigeration systems.
• The attacks hit hundreds of grocery stores in France, Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg, and Sweden.
• Attackers can push fridge temperatures as high as 50ºC (122°F), which spoils food and can start fires.
• Iranian hackers broke into more than 100 US water systems in July using exposed industrial controllers.

Some background

Industrial freezers are controlled by computers that can be reached over the internet. If these controllers have no password or are not updated, attackers can change their settings. The article says that attackers can bypass login checks, inject harmful code, and take advantage of weak setups.

Why it matters

Freezer attacks can destroy food and medicine that must stay cold, and they can even cause fires that hurt people. A US grocery giant, Ahold Delhaize, has already taken some IT systems offline after a cyberattack, and the Pentagon is reportedly looking into freezer failures at military bases as a possible cyberattack.

What to watch

• Whether the FBI confirms any attacks on US supermarkets or cold-chain systems.
• Whether the Pentagon confirms that the August freezer failures on military bases were cyberattacks.
• Whether grocery operators disconnect their freezer controllers from the public internet.
• Whether more hacks on refrigeration systems spread beyond Europe.