In brief

• Hackers gained access to a refrigeration control computer at a Selver supermarket in Estonia and set a freezer to 50 degrees Celsius.
• The attack targeted an older Danfoss system made and distributed by Kitman Coldtech, which said it responded within ten minutes.
• Kitman Coldtech says other Estonian clients were also attacked, and similar incidents were reported in Sweden, Belgium and Luxembourg.
• Selver declines to name the affected store or disclose technical details for security reasons.

Store targeted on 2 November

Attackers gained access to a computer used to run a supermarket's refrigeration remotely at a Selver outlet in Estonia (Hackers raised freezer temperature at Selver supermarket to +50°C – ERR News) (Küberründaja tõstis Selveri külmleti temperatuuri 50 soojakraadini – ERR). The intruders pushed the freezer's setpoint up to 50 degrees Celsius (Hackers raised freezer temperature at Estonian supermarket chain to +50°C – ERR News).

Older control systems targeted

The computer belonged to an older type of Danfoss refrigeration system (Küberründaja tõstis Eesti suurpoe külmleti temperatuuri 50 soojakraadini – ERR). Kitman Coldtech, which makes and distributes the equipment, said it responded within ten minutes, which prevented spoilage and financial losses (Igaunijas pārtikas veikalu aukstuma sistēmu skāris kiberuzbrukums – DELFI.lv).

More Estonian clients affected

Jann Mutso, head of Kitman Coldtech, said one of the company's clients was attacked and that other clients in Estonia had also been hit. He said the method resembled attacks in France and the Netherlands, though he did not yet comment further. Estonian media said the incidents matched October attacks in Europe and the United States, but a link has not been confirmed.

Similar attacks in other countries

Comparable episodes surfaced in Luxembourg, Belgium and Sweden on Monday (W Estonii zamrażarki też zaczęły grzać. Kolejny cyberatak – Rzeczpospolita). Digital, networked refrigeration is common in large food stores, but attackers are looking for specific security gaps in outdated or not updated controllers.

What Selver says

Selver's communications chief, Mariann Järvela, said the chain knew about similar attacks abroad and had prepared for such threats. The chain has regularly updated the controllers and software in its store refrigeration systems. Selver will not name the affected store or give technical details, citing security reasons.