Supermarket fridges and freezers in seven European countries have been hit by an unprecedented cyberattack that caused temperatures to soar to 50°C (122°F).
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temperatures → hit → °
The attacks targeted about 40 Delhaize supermarkets in Belgium and Luxembourg, as well as a smaller number of brands in Ireland, Sweden, Estonia, Finland and the Netherlands.
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attacks → target → Ireland
With no clear financial motivation and no hacker taking credit, cybersecurity agencies are scrambling to discover who is behind the attack.
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who → take → attack
Now, experts say that this could just be the beginning.
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this → say → ?
Speaking to the Daily Mail, they warn that almost any device that connects to the internet could become the target of a similar attack.
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that → speak → attack
That includes everything from critical infrastructure like water and power to everyday essentials like lifts and traffic systems.
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That → include → lifts
Supermarket fridges and freezers in seven European countries have been hit by an unprecedented cyber-attack that caused some to heat up to 50°C (122°F).
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some → hit → °
Pictured: An employee cleans refrigerators which had been hacked at an ICA store in Stockholm, Sweden
The attacks hit supermarkets in Belgium and Luxembourg, as well as a smaller number of brands in Ireland (pictured), Sweden, Estonia, Finland and the Netherlands
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attacks → picture → Ireland
The attack on European supermarkets comes just weeks after a similar incident hit hundreds of French supermarkets.
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incident → come → supermarkets
What's more, US authorities are currently investigating what caused several refrigerator malfunctions on American military bases in August.
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what → investigate → August
It isn't yet clear if these attacks are related, but some experts suggest that they could be part of a wider sabotage programme launched by an adversarial nation-state.
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they → relate → state
Tom Hegel, Distinguished Threat Researcher and Research Lead at SentinelOne, told the Daily Mail: 'Ransomware groups usually try to get paid, and hacktivists usually want the public credit.
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hacktivists → tell → credit
In this case, neither has happened, which makes it start to look like the low-cost, deniable sabotage Europe has been dealing with for several years, from damaged undersea cables to warehouse arson and GPS jamming.'
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Europe → happen → arson
If causing chaos is the attackers' goal, supermarket supply chains might make for an easy target.
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chains → cause → target
They operate enormous estates of refrigeration controllers, building management systems, door access panels and sales terminals that are often installed by contractors that don't work with cyber-security teams.
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that → operate → teams
This creates a vast web of potential vulnerabilities with the potential for severe disruption and financial loss.
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This → create → disruption
Supermarket fridge systems could just be the start, and attacks on refrigeration in medical or pharmaceutical companies could cause vast financial losses and deadly shortages of critical medicines.
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attacks → cause → medicines
'With thousands of these interfaces still online, I expect more incidents like this,' says Mr Hegel.
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Hegel → expect → this
However, experts point out that tampering with refrigeration systems could cause a lot more damage than spoiled food.
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tampering → point → food
Dan Bird, EMEA Field CTO at Horizon3, told the Daily Mail: 'The attack on supermarket refrigeration shows that any device with an internet-facing connection can be a target.
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device → tell → connection
Almost anything linked to a central system could be exposed.
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anything → link → system
'If supermarket fridges can be hacked, the obvious question is what that means for fridges and freezers in other industries.
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that → hack → industries
Take healthcare or pharmaceuticals, where medicines and blood samples must be kept at precise temperatures.
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medicines → take → temperatures
'An attack on those systems could severely disrupt patient care, spoiling millions of pounds worth of vital medicines and creating life-threatening shortages.'
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attack → disrupt → shortages
As more devices become connected to the internet for convenience, the so-called 'attack surface' for hackers to target also becomes significantly bigger.
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hackers → connect → convenience
These problems are made even worse by the fact that some parts of our critical infrastructure are so old that modern cybersecurity controls can't even be applied.
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controls → make → infrastructure
As AI speeds up the rate at which hackers can find vulnerabilities, this means even more devices could soon become a potential target.
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devices → speed → vulnerabilities
Speaking to the Daily Mail, they warn that almost any device that connects to the internet could become the target of a similar attack.
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that → speak → attack
That includes everything from critical infrastructure like water and power to everyday essentials like lifts and traffic systems.
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That → include → lifts
Pictured: crosswalks in Denver were hacked earlier this year to blare vile messages about the president
Vulnerable devices include many of the often-overlooked systems that are vital for modern life and business.
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that → picture → life
Marijus Briedis, Chief Technology Officer at NordVPN, told the Daily Mail: 'Criminals do not have to steal a single customer record to bring a business to a standstill.
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Criminals → tell → standstill
Interfering with heating, ventilation, access controls or connected machinery can disrupt the building or the work taking place inside it.
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Interfering → interfere → it
The consequences depend on what the compromised system controls and what safeguards are in place.
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safeguards → depend → place
An attack could leave staff unable to enter part of a building, stop production or interfere with temperatures in a warehouse.'
Likewise, Rob Demain, CEO of cybersecurity company e2e-assure, suggests that this could extend to 'building and lift systems', which are increasingly internet-connected.
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which → leave → systems
Mr Demain told the Daily Mail: 'Manipulating the digital controllers of lifts could trap occupants between floors, halt ventilation, create panic, or shut down emergency evacuation and fire-service lift modes during an active fire.'
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Manipulating → tell → fire
Similarly, Mr Demain says that simple building controls could be used to devastating effect.
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controls → say → effect
He says: 'Disabling air conditioning, chilling plant loops, or positive pressure systems in data centres causes thermal runaway and server destruction within minutes.
'
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Disabling → say → minutes
In pharmaceutical cleanrooms or hospitals, tampering with temperature destroys sterile environments, invalidates vaccine or blood storage, and contaminates surgical theatres.'
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tampering → tamper → theatres
However, the biggest worry for cybersecurity experts is that Britain's critical infrastructure itself could become the target of an attack.
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infrastructure → become → attack
Dan O'Dowd, CEO of Green Hills Software, warns that 'hackers, rogue states, and terrorists' could all exploit defects in computer-controlled systems.
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hackers → warn → systems
…and 11 more, not listed.
The Aporia
