{"id":2234251,"date":"2026-11-02T18:25:01","date_gmt":"2026-11-02T15:25:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2234251"},"modified":"2026-11-02T18:25:01","modified_gmt":"2026-11-02T15:25:01","slug":"if-hackers-can-take-control-of-a-supermarket-freezer-how-vulnerable-is-other-tech","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=2234251","title":{"rendered":"If hackers can take control of a supermarket freezer, how vulnerable is other tech?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/branded_news\/db6d\/live\/6afb9b70-d6cd-11f1-ac20-7783925c811f.jpg”]<\/p>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
\"GettyGetty Images<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Supermarkets across Europe have been hit by a suspected cyber-attack affecting their fridges and freezers, and raising concern about the vulnerabilities of internet-connected hardware from industrial machinery to humble domestic appliances.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Smart devices which are connected to the internet can include fridges, central heating, and even washing machines.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

And while that makes them easier to control remotely, in theory, any device which goes online can potentially be exploited by malicious actors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

However, that doesn’t mean hackers can easily take control of it, and big brands generally go to great lengths to make sure their tech is secure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Exploits have been found before in some devices. In 2015, researchers demonstrated how a vulnerability in a Samsung smart fridge could allow them to intercept internet traffic.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

But there’s no evidence domestic appliances are being targeted in the cyber-attacks which targeted supermarkets in November.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Ciaran Martin, former chief executive of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) says manufacturers needed to do more to make connected devices secure.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

“There’s a lot more that we need to demand of big tech to give us safer devices and products in the first place,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

He advised consumers to keep devices updated and enable multi-factor authentication wherever possible.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

“I know it’s a pain, but it only takes a few seconds,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Since April 2024, UK law has required manufacturers of certain consumer smart devices to meet minimum cyber security standards, including requirements around passwords and security updates.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

The NCSC said it was working with international partners and industry to understand the supermarket incidents, but it was unaware of any impact on the UK.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

However, researchers from UK Cyber Defence have identified more than 800 refrigeration and building-control interfaces associated with British retailers that can be accessed over the public internet.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

That doesn’t necessarily mean they can be hacked, but it could leave them exposed to attackers exploiting weak passwords or software vulnerabilities.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

The government has already held talks with senior food retailers about cyber resilience, following earlier attacks on supermarkets.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Helen Dickinson, chief executive of the British Retail Consortium, has said cyber incidents are a major concern for retailers, with businesses working alongside the NCSC to share intelligence and strengthen their defences.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

It would not be the first time that hacks have raised concern about impact on food supply.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

When UK supermarkets M&S and the Co-op were targeted by ransomware hackers in May 2025, the retailers struggled to stock some shop shelves with fresh deliveries.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Customers across the UK complained of empty shelves in the days following the attack.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Tom Hegel, a researcher at cyber-security firm SentinelOne, said retailers must be clearer about responsibility.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

“The question retailers need to answer is who owns the security of that equipment, not just who repairs it,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

He said internet connectivity can make everyday technology more convenient, but security needed to keep pace.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

“Once an attacker can operate those controls, legitimate functions such as defrosting become tools for disruption,” he said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

“Changing a setting can destroy physical stock, not just interrupt a computer system.”<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Could cars, power plants and water supplies be vulnerable?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Outside of the home, connected tech is used to remotely manage industrial machinery and vehicles.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Cyber security expert Ken Munro pointed to a 2015 demonstration in which researchers remotely hacked a Jeep through its internet-connected entertainment system, prompting improvements in vehicle security.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

“Fortunately, the vehicle industry woke up to this and fixed the problem,” he said. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Mobile connections are also widely used to monitor equipment in power plants and water networks, allowing engineers to manage systems remotely.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Munro said UK utilities were generally good at securing these connections, but standards varied around the world.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

His biggest concern was smaller, poorly funded utility companies which may still be relying on older, vulnerable equipment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n

Without proper protections, “any factory or equipment” connected to the internet – ranging from carmakers to electricity or transport infrastructure – could face similar risks, said Olivier Daloy, a cybersecurity expert at Zscaler.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n
\n
\n
\"A<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
\n
\n
\n
\n

Sign up for our Tech Decoded newsletter to follow the world’s top tech stories and trends. Outside the UK? Sign up here.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n

[analyse_source url=”https:\/\/www.bbc.com\/news\/articles\/ckpqg8lve73go”]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[analyse_image type=”featured” src=”https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/1024\/branded_news\/db6d\/live\/6afb9b70-d6cd-11f1-ac20-7783925c811f.jpg”] Getty Images Supermarkets across Europe have been hit by a suspected cyber-attack affecting their fridges and freezers, and raising concern about the vulnerabilities of internet-connected hardware from industrial machinery to humble domestic appliances. Smart devices which are connected to the internet can include fridges, central heating, and even washing machines. And while […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[35,226],"class_list":["post-2234251","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-politics","tag-bbc-com","tag-crawlmanager"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2234251","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2234251"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2234251\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2234251"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2234251"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2234251"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}