Europe Supermarket Fridge Cyberattacks Spoil Food Across Four Countries
Cyberattacks altered supermarket fridge settings across Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg and Sweden, spoiling food and exposing unsupported Danfoss systems.
Summary
On November 2, 2026, a suspected second cyberattack wave affected refrigerators at dozens of stores in Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg and Sweden. Ahold Delhaize and Colruyt confirmed the hacks overnight. An unnamed Belgian operator of Delhaize systems said attackers changed settings to defrost, causing heavy losses as supermarkets discarded thawed or otherwise unsafe food.
The incidents followed attacks the previous month that deliberately raised refrigerator temperatures and spoiled food at hundreds of French supermarkets. Researchers linked those hacks to internet-connected refrigerators from Denmark’s Danfoss, which no longer provided security updates; Claroty had warned in August that the units faced remote hacking and outage risks. The attacks expose physical food-supply consequences from weak cybersecurity. A 2025 attack on distributor UNFI caused shortages and empty shelves at U.S. grocery stores. U.S. Department of Defense officials are reportedly investigating whether Iran-backed hackers breached freezers on military bases, while Iranian hackers were also blamed for attacks on U.S. water providers earlier in 2026.
Positives
- Ahold Delhaize and Colruyt confirmed the refrigerator hacks overnight on November 2, 2026.
- Researchers linked the earlier French incidents to internet-connected Danfoss refrigerator units that no longer received security updates.
- Claroty warned in August that the affected Danfoss equipment faced remote hacking and outage risks.
- U.S. Department of Defense officials are reportedly investigating possible Iran-backed breaches of military-base freezer units.
Risks & concerns
- Dozens of stores across Belgium, Ireland, Luxembourg and Sweden lost food after attackers allegedly changed refrigerator settings to defrost.
- Hundreds of French supermarkets suffered food spoilage the previous month after refrigerator temperatures were deliberately raised.
- Danfoss no longer provided security updates for the internet-connected refrigerator units linked to the French attacks.
- A 2025 attack on UNFI caused food shortages and empty grocery shelves across the United States.
- Possible attacks on military freezers and earlier breaches of U.S. water providers show connected infrastructure remains exposed to physical disruption.