Supermarket fridge hacks spark rising fears over connected appliances

Hackers have twice taken control of supermarket fridges across Europe in less than a month, sparking fires and spoiling millions of euros worth of food. On October 11 and 12, attackers heated units at about 700 French stores to as high as 50C. On November 2, a second wave of suspected cyberattacks affected supermarkets and food businesses in at least nine European countries, including Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden. France blamed the first attack on Shahid Kaveh, a cyberunit affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, marking the first large-scale sabotage cyberattack on French soil. The identity behind the second wave remains unclear.

These incidents have raised concerns about how exposed internet-connected equipment has become, ranging from industrial machinery to household appliances. A supermarket's cooling systems are typically operated from a single control panel connected to the internet for remote management by contractors. Home smart fridges connect similarly through Wi-Fi, apps or cloud services. Attackers reportedly located these supermarket systems using Shodan, a search engine for internet-connected devices, exploiting basic security failures.

Once inside, unauthorized users can deactivate a unit, increase its temperature or steal account details. Vincent Strubel, head of France's National Cybersecurity Agency, warned that the healthcare sector utilizes similar equipment to store vaccines and hazardous materials in laboratories and pharmacies. Essentially, any internet-connected device can potentially be compromised.

Connected devices everywhere face growing cyber threats as hackers target vulnerable systems.

Global connectivity continues to expand rapidly, with billions of short-range devices like smartwatches and long-range remote monitoring systems in daily use. Households now average numerous connected gadgets, while routers remain prime targets due to their constant online status. Furthermore, researchers have discovered vulnerabilities in smart television apps and robot vacuums that could grant unauthorized access to home networks and live camera feeds.

Beyond domestic appliances, the same weaknesses affect essential sectors such as power plants, water supplies, banks and hospitals. Facilities in multiple countries have experienced disruptions linked to foreign state-backed hackers. Government institutions and critical infrastructure remain the primary targets for politically significant cyberattacks, according to research data tracking thousands of major incidents over recent decades.

Why it matters

As our lives become more digitised, these widespread incidents demonstrate which smart systems can be compromised and how individuals can protect themselves against escalating cybersecurity risks.