Sylvain Charlebois: Hackers Turned Up the Heat on Europe’s Grocers. Is Canada Ready?

A second wave of cyberattacks has impacted European supermarkets, causing refrigeration failures and resulting in the disposal of large quantities of food. These attacks highlight a vulnerability in the food industry, as disruption to refrigeration can lead to significant financial losses due to the spoilage of perishable goods. The economic impact is substantial, as even after systems are restored, products may need to be discarded if their temperature history cannot be verified.

• European supermarkets have experienced a second wave of suspected cyberattacks targeting refrigeration systems.
• Stores in at least nine countries reported refrigeration failures, with one instance of systems being remotely set to 50 C.
• Significant amounts of food had to be discarded due to the failures.
• A prior wave of attacks had already affected stores in France, Belgium, and the Netherlands.
• Refrigeration failure is an attractive target for hackers due to the limited shelf life of fresh food and the dependence on steady deliveries.
• Disruptions can lead to discarded inventory, missed shipments, and lost sales.
• Even after repair, products may be discarded if temperature fluctuations cannot be determined.