Could cyber-attacks on supermarkets in Europe hit American soil?
Supermarkets in France recently endured cyber-attacks that raised the temperature of their fridges and freezers. Those events were followed by similar hacks against supermarkets throughout Europe.
This is all, of course, ominous news. Is it time for U.S. businesses to be concerned?
“A grocery store runs more connected equipment than most offices: registers, card readers, cameras, WiFi, and refrigeration monitoring that reports temperatures over the internet,” Pat Whyte, marketing lead at Simply Technology, told The Food Institute.
“If one device gets compromised, an attacker can reach everything else. Add outside vendors with remote access to their own equipment, plus thin IT staffing, and there are a lot of doors to watch,” Whyte explained.
What’s Happened So Far
On Oct. 11, hackers gained control of software that regulates temperatures of the refrigeration units used in many of France’s supermarkets, BBC reported. Roughly 100 of Coopérative U’s supermarkets were impacted, plus 180 Intermarché stores. The supermarkets saw the temperatures of fridges reach 120 degrees Fahrenheit.
Other major food retailers were reportedly hit by the attack, including Carrefour, Monoprix, and E.Leclerc. The cyber incident targeted software provided by Danfoss that allows stores to manage their cold units remotely.
Earlier this month, another set of cyber-attacks occurred, impacting more than 100 stores across Europe. Retailers were impacted in Belgium, Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands, Finland, Estonia, and Luxembourg.
It’s also worth noting that, in August, multiple U.S. military bases had fridges malfunction, spoiling food – incidents that are also being investigated as deliberate attacks
Experts have speculated which hacking groups could be responsible, with Iran being on a list of potential suspects.
“The attacks on supermarkets are a reminder of the risks supply chains face,” Ray Walsh, cybersecurity expert at Comparitech, told FI. “It seems the attacks were largely preventable, because the supermarkets could have addressed existing security vulnerabilities before the attacks or disconnected their systems from the public internet to prevent remote targeting.”
The affected supermarkets appear to have been susceptible because they failed to secure their refrigeration systems by leaving equipment exposed to the internet with weak passwords and inadequate security protections, Walsh added.
6 Steps to Prepare for Possible Cyber-attacks
Whyte works for an IT firm, Simply Technology, that supports restaurants, markets, and other small businesses. As a result, he has learned the necessary steps that businesses can take to avoid cyber-security breaches – such as:
- Separate your network. “Registers, cameras, refrigeration controls, and guest WiFi should not share one network,” Whyte said.
- Change default passwordson every connected device, including fridge monitors.
- Know which vendors have remote access, and remove the ones who no longer need it.
- Turn on multi-factor authentication for email and any admin accounts.
- Keep a backup that you’ve actually tested restoring.
- Plan how you’ll operate if systems go down, with paper temperature logs, a cash fallback, and a phone list.
Walsh feels that the second wave of cyber-attacks on supermarkets should ring alarm bells for retailers around the world.
“Until cybersecurity analysts confirm who’s behind these attacks, it seems fair to say that any country or company could be next,” the cyber-security expert said.
“Supermarkets, grocers, and food supply companies must act quickly to ensure their systems are fully updated or disconnected from the internet,” Walsh added. “Older systems that can no longer receive security updates, in particular, must be disconnected from the internet.”
Food for Thought Leadership
What did SIAL Paris 2026 reveal about the future of food, and which global trends could shape the industry in 2027? In this episode ofFood for Thought Leadership, The Food Institute’s Chris Campbell and Brian Choi break down their experiences at the international trade show, exploring the growing demand for protein, fiber, convenience, and global flavors while examining how food companies can navigate economic uncertainty and changing consumer expectations.
