There’s plenty of backlash around the new breed of refrigerators that are now equipped with massive screens and are connected to the internet, all in the name of smart conveniences. The idea is not bad, but when you start showing ads or run into software-related issues, they wreak havoc. Naturally, you start questioning whether an appliance as straightforward as a fridge even needs those snazzy tricks.
The latest exhibit? Hackers in France took over hundreds of fridges in a supermarket, in what experts are calling a direct attack on food supplies. As part of the attack, the hackers defrosted and heated the refrigeration units overnight, causing large-scale wastage of food that was spoiled due to the high temperature levels.
What happened?
According to the BBC, hackers targeted supermarkets operated by Cooperative U after breaking into the software that operates the connected refrigeration units across 100 stores. Another brand named Netto was also targeted, with reports claiming that refrigeration units in over 300 Intermarché-owned stores were affected. After hacking the software, the unidentified attacker(s) heated the units to over 120 degrees Fahrenheit (50 degrees Celsius) overnight.
When staffers opened the fridge on Monday, they reported a blast of hot air emanating from the refrigeration machines. As a result of the heating, the stores had to throw away huge amounts of edible items due to concerns over spoilage, leading to losses worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in certain stores. Food commissioner Christophe Hansen criticized the large-scale coordinated attacks on food chains, noting that weaponization of food has become a reality.
“Our teams are fully mobilized, in coordination with refrigeration specialists, to restore the situation as quickly as possible,” Dominique Schelcher, chief of Cooperative U, shared in a post on X. “Targeting equipment essential to the preservation of fresh products and to the food supply of the French people is of extreme gravity and is unprecedented. It is unacceptable,” he added.
In addition to Cooperative U and Netto, stores operated by Carrefour, E.Leclerc and Monoprix were also hit. Law enforcement authorities have already opened an investigation, but so far, no hacking group or individual has come forward to claim responsibility. The attack is not entirely unprecedented. Security experts have repeatedly highlighted vulnerabilities in the controllers that are used in cold storage and refrigeration units at commercial scale.
