British food companies have been affected by a significant cyber-attack that targeted refrigerated units across Europe, according to Dr. Richard Horne, head of the UK's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). The attack, which involved raising temperatures in freezers to as high as 55C (131F), has led to tonnes of produce being spoiled.
Dr. Horne confirmed that "vulnerable technology" in the UK was exploited, although he noted that only a small number of companies appear to have been impacted. The NCSC is working with affected organizations to understand the full scope of the damage. "It's too early for us to say" who is behind the cyber-hack, Dr. Horne stated.
The cyber-attack is similar to an incident in France last month, which affected hundreds of grocery stores. The European attacks have targeted refrigerators manufactured by Belgian firm Sabcobel, with units' evaporators switched to defrost mode. In Belgium and Luxembourg, dozens of supermarkets from chains like Delhaize and Colruyt were affected, along with 15 Carrefour stores. In Sweden, employees at ICA supermarkets were forced to discard spoiled food.
Tony Goodger of the British Association of Independent Meat Suppliers reported that some of his members had unexpectedly become collateral damage during the widespread European hack. Dr. Horne emphasized that the issue extends beyond supermarkets to the entire food supply chain, and the NCSC has been actively alerting organizations with exposed, vulnerable technology.
The incident comes as Dr. Horne warned of a critical moment for cybersecurity in Britain. He highlighted that for decades, the UK has relied on "tech on the cheap," leaving systems vulnerable to exploitation at an unprecedented scale, particularly with the rise of AI. The NCSC's annual report suggests that by 2028, the UK could face a significant increase in AI-boosted cyber-attacks on critical infrastructure, with nation-states like Russia and China potentially using the technology routinely.
Mastercard research indicates that nearly half of UK small firms have been targeted by cyber criminals in the past year, with almost one in five going bankrupt as a result. The study also found that over three in five small to medium-sized companies in the UK lack any cybersecurity tools.