French supermarket cyberattack raises warning for Estonia, experts say

A cyberattack that destroyed large quantities of food in French grocery stores is a warning for Estonia, cybersecurity experts say. No similar attempt has been reported in Estonia so far, ERR reported.

Hundreds of French stores were hit on Sunday when hackers raised refrigerator temperatures to as high as 50 degrees Celsius. The food was spoiled, causing financial losses for the stores.

“This kind of thing can happen, and the threat is real,” said Toomas Lepik, a cybersecurity analyst at TTÜ. Estonia has not had a case like the one in France, he said, but poor security practices or cyber hygiene could leave businesses vulnerable.

Justice and Digital Affairs Minister Liisa Pakosta, speaking from a cybersecurity conference in Singapore, called the incident shocking. She said cyberattacks are no longer limited to computers and information systems, and that Estonia has some of the world’s strictest cybersecurity requirements.

Companies providing essential services, including those responsible for food security, must meet particularly strict requirements, Pakosta said. Larger companies responsible for food security must pass audits, but the rules do not apply to every grocery store. Both the state and businesses need to invest more in cybersecurity, she added.

Estonian supermarket chain Selver said it is monitoring the French case. Communications manager Mariann Järvela said the chain had not experienced a similar incident and was working to prevent one. She said the consequences of an attack could be comparable to a power outage, for which Selver already holds crisis exercises.

It is not yet clear who was behind the attack in France or whether it will be followed by ransom demands.