Cybersecurity: US authorities warn of attacks on cooling systems worldwide

Cybercriminals can remotely increase the temperature in cooling systems. Now US authorities are sounding the alarm – supermarkets and health facilities worldwide could be targeted.

Berlin. After a series of cyber attacks on cooling systems in supermarkets, the US federal police, the FBI and other US authorities, have warned of an ongoing threat. Cybercriminals worldwide are targeting vulnerabilities in cooling systems, according to the statement released by the FBI, the US Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection Agency (CISA), and the departments of Health, Agriculture and Transportation on Thursday (local time).

“We are seeing these critical infrastructure systems being targeted across multiple sectors worldwide,” said Brett Leatherman, head of the FBI’s Cyber ​​Division, according to the release. “Any organization that relies on cooling and surveillance systems should assume that it could be a target,” acting deputy chief of CISA's cybersecurity division, Chris Butera, was quoted as saying.

If the attackers are successful, the temperature in the systems could be changed, which could lead to the risk of fire, loss of goods and a shortened lifespan of the systems. The authorities advised, among other things, to disconnect the systems from the Internet, change passwords and replace outdated devices.

Since mid-October there have been cyber attacks on refrigeration and freezing systems in supermarkets and food establishments in several European countries. Attackers remotely caused the temperature in refrigerators and freezers to rise, causing goods to spoil.

Those affected included France, Belgium, Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands, Estonia, Finland and Germany. At the beginning of November, the French blood bank was the target of such an attack. According to US media, several incidents are also being investigated in the United States. The EU Commission called a crisis meeting. It is still unclear who is behind the attacks.

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