Cyberattacks knock out freezers at dozens of supermarkets in Belgium and Sweden

Overnight on Nov. 1-2, refrigeration and freezer systems failed at dozens of Belgian and Swedish supermarkets. At least 40 Delhaize stores in Belgium were affected, Carrefour Belgium reported 15, Coop confirmed six in Sweden, and ICA said a limited number were hit, with Sjöbo and Tomelilla staying closed during the morning. Rickard Nilsson of an ICA store in Sjöbo said: “We can’t adjust the temperatures, we can’t change them. Hot air is blowing into the freezers. Everything is ruined.” Staff were seen cleaning refrigerators at an ICA Baronen store in Stockholm. Temperatures rose to as much as 55°C per trendingtopics.eu, or 50°C per other sources. Ahold Delhaize described “an IT incident affecting the refrigeration systems in a number of Delhaize stores.” The pattern matches an Oct. 12 France attack on up to 700 stores—including more than 300 Intermarché/Netto, 80 each at Carrefour and Coopérative U, and about 30 Monoprix—that produced a six-hour spike, melted equipment, fires, and cartfuls of defrosted food dumped with melted ice cream on the street. Dominique Schelcher called that attack “unprecedented” and “extremely serious.” Thierry Cotillard said an “unprecedented” attack would mean losses of “tens of millions of euros nationwide in a single day.” Christophe Hansen said food security “requires more attention at all levels.” Danfoss AK-SM 800 and AK-SC 355 controllers, end-of-life in 2021 and 2016, were identified as vulnerable; Claroty found a default admin login and derivable “code of the day,” with about 4,500 units still reachable online after France. Ken Munro said “kids messing around” could be responsible. Perpetrators remain unnamed.