Federal Agencies Warn of Ongoing Cyber Threat to Industrial Freezers and Cold Storages
Federal agencies warned on Nov. 5 that hackers are targeting refrigeration systems used to store food and medicine, urging businesses to secure vulnerable controls amid attacks that could spoil supplies and damage equipment.
The warning arrived after a series of attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems in Europe and at least one attack on a French public blood service, according to officials and published reports. U.S. officials did not attribute the European incidents to any specific group or confirm whether similar attacks have been detected inside the United States.
Federal Warning Details
The agencies said the actors may exploit vulnerabilities or weaknesses in unpatched or internet-accessible controllers to remotely alter settings and force units into continuous heating and defrost cycles [2]. The systems are widely used in healthcare, chemical operations, food and agriculture, and transportation, the agencies said.
