Britain's cyber chief warns hackers are ALREADY targeting UK supermarket freezers following fridge attacks that spoiled food across Europe
Empty refrigerated counters cordoned off inside an Auchan supermarket in Olsztyn, Poland, as the National Cyber Security Centre confirmed "a couple of impacts" in the UK food supply chain from the attack wave.Dr Richard Horne, chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre, warned that AI had allowed Britain's adversaries to easily find and exploit vulnerabilities in refrigeration systems, as hackers spread freezer attacks from France across six more European countries.
Britain's cybersecurity chief Dr Richard Horne warned on Wednesday that AI is enabling hostile states and criminal groups to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in UK refrigeration systems far more easily than before. Horne's alert follows two waves of attacks across Europe — the first striking 700 French stores on October 11, the second hitting half a dozen more countries including Ireland and Sweden on November 3.
UK meat suppliers reported overnight fridge temperature spikes, with one unit reaching 100C, though abattoir units were empty so no meat was lost.
Irish chain SuperValu pulled chilled and frozen food from 13 stores before confirming the incident was 'fully resolved', with restocking under way.
The crisis could also devastate NHS cold-chain supplies if hackers target medical refrigeration next.
