Hackers target European freezer systems as experts urge tighter access

Hackers raised temperatures in supermarket refrigerators in several European countries, causing substantial losses for some retailers, LSM reports. Attacks affected Estonia, Sweden, Belgium, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg and the Netherlands.

A warehouse in Latvia was also affected, but the intrusion was detected and stopped in time, limiting its impact.

Kirils Solovjovs of IT security group Possible Security said companies often use remote access to monitor equipment. This can save time and money when outside contractors manage systems, but many devices were designed to be controlled through a local computer network and were never intended to be connected to the internet.

Solovjovs advised keeping equipment offline when an internet connection is not necessary. If remote access is required, companies should add safeguards that limit access to specific people.

Many industrial devices remain accessible online. Automated programs can find them, and information about some devices is publicly available. Solovjovs said equipment is often protected by very simple passwords, such as 1234.

The report was written by Latvijas Radio correspondent Ņikita Andrejevs.