Cyber ​​attacks targeting refrigerators in Belgium and Luxembourg

A situation similar to that in France... “Refrigerated and frozen temperatures rise up to 15 degrees”

(Brussels = Yonhap News) Correspondent Hyun Yun-kyung = The refrigerator hacking incident that occurred at French supermarkets last month has been repeated in Belgium and Luxembourg, the Brussels Times, an English-language Belgian newspaper, reported on the 2nd (local time).

Belgian supermarket chain Delhaize confirmed that an IT problem targeting refrigeration systems occurred in approximately 40 stores across Belgium between the night of the 1st and the early morning of the 2nd, causing temperatures in refrigerators and freezers to soar sharply. Carrefour Belgium also announced that a similar phenomenon occurred in 15 stores.

According to RTL Info, a French-speaking Belgian media outlet, many store managers received a warning from Delez around 4 a.m. on the 2nd that the temperature of the refrigeration equipment was rising. It was reported that the temperature of refrigerators and freezers in these stores rose up to 15 degrees.

Affected store managers and employees rushed to work to minimize inventory loss, while some stores reportedly mobilized refrigerated trucks to preserve products.

Delrays' parent company, Dutch company Ahold Delrays, also announced on this day that IT problems had occurred in refrigerators and freezers at dozens of supermarkets in Belgium and Luxembourg.

According to Reuters, the company confirmed that the temperature of the cooling system had risen and said it is currently investigating the circumstances of the accident. The company reported to the Dutch police that a cybersecurity incident occurred last month.

Previously, in France, a cyber attack occurred during the night of the 11th and 12th of last month that raised the temperature of supermarket refrigerators of several companies to 50 degrees, causing damage to about 700 stores.