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Suspected cyber-attack disrupts supermarket refrigeration in three countries
Developing story first seen 1 hour ago
The suspected cyber-attack has now been reported at supermarkets in three countries, including 13 SuperValu shops in Ireland. The refrigeration disruption has led to food being discarded, while the cause and those responsible remain unknown.
In Belgium, around 40 Delhaize shops and 15 Carrefour stores were affected. In Sweden, several ICA shops and seven of Coop’s 800 stores reported problems; one ICA branch said its freezers had been set to 50°C, and it has since reopened. The incident follows a similar attack on hundreds of French supermarkets last month.
- Sources
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- Outlets
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- Left · Centre · Right
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In short
- Thirteen SuperValu shops in Ireland were also affected.
- Belgian and Swedish stores reported refrigeration disruption.
- The attacker’s identity remains unknown.
How this story developed
- 44 minutes ago Further details identified 13 affected SuperValu shops in Ireland and said an ICA branch in Sjöbo had its freezer temperature changed to 50°C before reopening; the reported impact elsewhere was unchanged.
- 51 minutes ago Refrigeration failures linked to a suspected cyber-attack affected supermarkets in Belgium, Sweden and Ireland, with some food discarded, while the cause and those responsible remained unknown.
Where outlets differ
Left-leaning outlets 1
Only here: freezers, across, europe, second
Centre outlets 1
Only here: disrupts, refrigeration, three, countries
Every side used: supermarket, suspected, cyber, attack
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Explained simply
Supermarket refrigeration keeps chilled and frozen food at safe temperatures in shops and storage areas. If those systems stop working or are changed, stores may have to close temporarily and throw food away.
The retailers named in the reports include Delhaize and Carrefour in Belgium, ICA and Coop in Sweden, and SuperValu in Ireland. They operate separate supermarket chains, and the reported problems affected only some of their stores.
Cyber-attacks can target computer systems that control equipment as well as those used for payments or records. The cause and the people responsible have not been established, so it is not yet clear whether the incidents in the three countries are connected to each other or to the earlier French case.
Coverage · 2 sources
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Originally published by BBC World as “Supermarket freezers in Belgium and Sweden hit by suspected cyber-attack”.