U.S. warns of cyber attacks on freezers worldwide

U.S. agencies warn of freezer hacks

CISA, the FBI and federal departments warned Thursday that hackers are compromising internet-connected refrigeration systems in supermarkets, military bases and blood banks worldwide.

What hackers can do to freezers

If successfully exploited, hackers could change temperatures and cause physical impacts such as fire hazards, loss of inventory and changes to the service life of the system.

“If successfully exploited, the actors could change the temperature and possibly cause physical impacts such as fire hazards, loss of inventory and changes to the service life of the system.”

Attacks hit UK and Europe first

Two separate waves of cyberattacks targeted industrial refrigeration units across the United Kingdom and Europe in recent weeks, spoiling defrosted food and destroying produce in at least a dozen countries.

Danfoss systems targeted, updates stopped

Some affected systems included remote-controlled refrigeration units made by Danish company Danfoss, which had stopped providing security updates to its customers' freezers.

Blood bank and military targeted

Hackers targeted a blood bank in France, boosting temperatures in cold units containing donated blood supplies before being stopped. The U.S. Department of Defense is investigating hacks targeting military freezers.

Iran suspected, agencies urge action

Security researchers and U.S. officials suspect Iran is the likely culprit. CISA and the FBI urged affected industries to remove remote control systems from the internet and strengthen passwords.

“Every organization that depends on refrigeration and monitoring systems should assume it could be a target.”