The U.S. government has issued a warning about an ongoing cyber threat affecting industrial refrigeration units. Recent reports have revealed cyberattacks on freezers and fridges in supermarkets, U.S. military bases, and a blood bank, impacting sectors essential to food, agriculture, transportation, and medicine shipping. These attacks involve hackers compromising internet-connected refrigeration and cold chain monitoring systems, potentially leading to severe consequences such as inventory loss, equipment hazards, and fire risks.
The threat has already materialized in the United Kingdom and Europe, where hackers have manipulated temperatures on refrigeration units across more than a dozen countries, leading to spoiled food and damaged produce. Some targeted systems include those manufactured by Danfoss, a Danish company that has ceased providing security updates for its equipment. In France, a blood bank faced a similar attack, but intervention prevented the loss of blood supplies. Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Defense is investigating similar incidents affecting military-run freezers.
Although the U.S. has not officially identified the attackers, security experts suggest Iranian involvement. In response, U.S. agencies like CISA, the FBI, and various federal departments have advised industries at risk to disconnect remote control systems from the internet, enhance password security, apply available patches, and decommission unsupported equipment. A fact sheet issued by these agencies highlights the risks of forced continuous heating and defrost cycles, which can devastate inventory and create equipment dangers.
CISA’s acting cybersecurity chief, Chris Butera, has emphasized that any organization reliant on refrigeration and monitoring systems should consider themselves potential targets.
