Israeli Cyber Agency Orders Store Refrigerator Audits After European Data Breaches

Israeli retail chains, food manufacturers, and logistics hubs received an official directive to inspect their refrigeration systems following a coordinated series of cyberattacks in Europe. The Israel National Cyber Directorate issued the warning in response to hackers manipulating temperature controls at dozens of stores across the continent on Monday. The directive specifically targets systems that permit external technicians and service providers to connect remotely.

In Europe, the intruders forced refrigerators and freezers to heat up, raising internal temperatures to 50 degrees Celsius. This sudden spike spoiled large quantities of perishable goods. The disruption caused financial losses and physical damage, including equipment failures and fires in some locations. The attacks impacted major supermarket groups Ahold Delhaize and Colruyt in Belgium and Luxembourg, as well as Swedish grocers ICA and Coop. One IKEA location was also affected.

Engla Ingwall, a sales manager at an ICA franchise in Stockholm, described the scene at her store. She told Reuters that the attack began at 2 a.m. but was not detected for several hours. 'Everything is destroyed,' Ingwall said. 'There has been a cyberattack and all our freezers reached 50 degrees [Celsius].' A spokesperson for ICA confirmed that a limited number of stores were impacted by the overnight incident, which disrupted their refrigeration and freezer systems.

The National Cyber Directorate instructed Israeli companies to report their inspection findings to the agency. Retailers must detail the protective measures they have implemented. Recommended steps include isolating control systems from the internet, changing default passwords, and updating outdated software.

Security protocols also require securing remote access with multi-factor authentication. Companies should activate independent alerts to detect unusual temperature fluctuations. The directive aims to prevent similar disruptions from reaching Israeli shelves.