Hackers Hit Supermarket Fridges in Seven European Countries, Canada Watches for Risk Cyberattacks on supermarket refrigeration systems have spoiled food across seven European countries for the second time in under a month, while experts warn Canadian stores could share the same vulnerability. Supermarkets across seven European countries reported refrigeration problems on Monday, Nov. 2, 2026, after hackers took control of cooling systems overnight and sent freezer temperatures as high as 50 C. It was the second such attack in less than a month. Canadian Stores Face Danfoss Hacking RiskThe affected countries include Belgium, Sweden and Ireland, according to reports. No similar incidents have been reported in Canada, but cybersecurity expert Ritesh Kotak believes some Canadian stores could be vulnerable. Many of the hacked systems were made by Danish company Danfoss, which sells products in Canada. It is not known which Canadian grocers, if any, use the affected systems.Kotak told CTV News that if these controllers are embedded within refrigeration or any type of equipment, the vulnerability likely exists in Canada too. In theory, hackers could take over and control everything from the temperature to any type of sensors, he said. Canadian grocery retailers are watching the situation, though Metro Inc. declined to discuss its cybersecurity.Stephane Bonk, a communications manager at Metro, said in an email that the company does not publicly discuss its cybersecurity practices or controls and has no comment on the matter. Canada has already seen hackers tamper with other kinds of equipment. Just last year, the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security warned that hacktivists are increasingly exploiting internet-connected industrial systems.Previous Cyberattacks Hit Canadian InfrastructureThe centre, along with the RCMP, has received multiple reports, including one where water pressure was tampered with at a water facility and another where a grain-drying silo on a farm had its temperature and humidity manipulated. The attacks follow an earlier breach in France three weeks ago, when hackers gained control of cooling units at hundreds of supermarkets and caused millions of dollars worth of food losses.In many large grocery stores, every fridge and freezer is linked to a control unit that sets temperatures, runs defrost cycles and raises alarms. Those control units can often be reached over the internet so maintenance firms can manage them remotely. Once inside, Kotak said, hackers can do real damage by turning the temperature up or down, continuously making it rise and fall.He said that can burn out equipment or spoil food that must be kept at a set temperature. In France, most of the hacked Danfoss controllers were older models that no longer received security updates. Investigators have not said exactly how the attackers got in. Kotak said people always knew that anything connected to the internet could be misused by bad actors, and that is now happening.Hackers Motive Likely Ideological Or StateSo far, there are no reports of anyone claiming responsibility or making a ransom demand. Kotak said that points to motives beyond money, suggesting the motive could be ideological or state-sponsored, with the whole idea being to cause disruption. If you go into a grocery store and there is nothing in the fridges, that is going to worry people, he added.Since Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, there have been growing fears in Europe of sabotage and cyberattacks linked to Moscow, which denies any involvement. Meanwhile, the U.S. Defense Department has confirmed it is investigating freezer failures at military commissaries in August that resembled the European attacks. At least six locations were affected, and four officials told Reuters the Pentagon is treating them as a suspected hack.At Fort Huachuca in Arizona, the base posted on Facebook on Aug. 26 that an overnight equipment failure at its commissary sent all the freezers into defrost mode, spoiling frozen food. Coolers holding produce and other items were also knocked offline. There is no evidence artificial intelligence was used in any of the attacks, but Kotak said it could help hackers quickly exploit unpatched systems.Future Cyberthreats Loom For Food SystemsHe warns that these cyberattacks are going to become much more frequent in the coming years. His advice to businesses is to ensure they can keep operating if their systems must go offline. Go on the assumption that these types of attacks are going to happen to your systems, he said. The attacks underscore how connectivity now reaches deep into critical food distribution networks around the world.