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Cyberattacks turn supermarket freezers into heaters, DW reports

The broadcaster reports spoiled food and empty shelves across at least seven European countries after intruders manipulated connected refrigeration controls.

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DW News Story of November 3, 2026Trari Newsroom

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Freezer cyber attack leaves supermarket shelves empty across Europe | DW News

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0:00DW reports remotely manipulated fridge and freezer temperatures across at least seven European countries.
0:43Schultz says attackers forced defrost cycles or temperatures up to 50°C, spoiling food and causing financial losses.
2:00No one has claimed responsibility; the report raises the possibility of further connected attacks.
3:08Schultz recommends updated software, replacement of obsolete equipment, stronger passwords and government deterrence.

Supermarket refrigeration units were instructed to heat food instead of keeping it cold, according to DW News, in cyberattacks that the broadcaster says have caused millions of euros in damage across Europe.

The report shows emptied shelves and warning signs on cooling units. Reporting from Brussels, correspondent Teri Schultz says hackers exploited internet-connected refrigeration controllers, forcing equipment into defrost mode or raising temperatures as high as 50°C. Hundreds of supermarkets have been affected, according to DW.

Anchor Nicole Frölich notes that a similar incident occurred in France the previous month. But responsibility for the attacks remains unresolved: Schultz says no one has claimed them. The report does not establish who carried them out.

The interview then moves from the spoiled stock to the weaknesses that made the intrusions possible. ESET cybersecurity expert Jake Moore points to outdated software and vulnerabilities exposed on the internet, warning of further connected incidents.

Asked what businesses can do, Schultz identifies software updates, replacement of obsolete equipment and stronger passwords as practical precautions, alongside government action to deter attackers. Her warning extends beyond the grocery aisle: connected controls can give an intruder a way to interfere with the physical equipment a business depends on.

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