A series of suspected cyberattacks has hit grocery stores in multiple European countries, resulting in food spoilage due to rising temperatures in refrigerator and freezer units.
What happened
The attacks, which occurred on Monday, affected stores in Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, Estonia, and Ireland, including major chains such as Ahold Delhaize and Colruyt. According to reports, temperatures in some stores' freezers reached as high as 50 degrees Celsius, or over 120 degrees Fahrenheit, forcing stores to dispose of spoiled food.
The European Commission has expressed concern over the digital threats, with EU commissioner for agriculture Christophe Hansen stating that the repeated occurrence of these cyberattacks is deeply concerning and a deliberate attempt to disrupt the food supply chain.
An investigation into the nature of the attack and the suspected perpetrators is ongoing. This incident follows a similar cybersecurity incident in France last month, which affected around 700 supermarkets.
