Hackers have already hit UK food firms' freezers after the Europe-wide attack, cyber chief warns, backing calls to stockpile
Empty refrigerated counters inside an Auchan supermarket in Olsztyn, Poland, as Sweden's national cyber-security centre confirmed it was working multiple cases simultaneously following the overnight attacks.Seven European countries were struck overnight by hackers who remotely cranked supermarket freezer temperatures to 50C, following an almost identical attack on up to 700 French supermarkets last month that triggered fires and food losses running into tens of millions of euros.
The National Cyber Security Centre's chief executive Dr Richard Horne confirmed on BBC Radio 4's Today programme that "a handful of organisations" across the UK food supply chain have already been alerted, with "a couple of impacts" confirmed after hackers targeted supermarket fridges and freezers across nine European countries on Monday. The NCSC worked through the night issuing warnings, and Horne backed government calls for Brits to stockpile essentials, saying "it's your life, choose wisely." No UK supermarket has publicly named itself as affected, and the NCSC says the national impact remains "minimal" so far.
The British Association of Independent Meat Suppliers says some of its 300-plus members were caught as 'collateral' damage, though none lost any meat.
Hackers disabled temperature alarms before overriding thermostats, with freezers across Europe reaching as high as 55C, ruining millions of euros' worth of food.
AI is now allowing hostile actors to detect and exploit outdated refrigeration systems 'at a scale that was once unimaginable', Horne warned, with Russia, China and Iran identified as key threats.
