Hackers breach refrigeration systems in Italian shops

Hackers broke into the refrigeration systems of shops in Italy on 2 November and set the temperature to plus 50 degrees Celsius. The report comes from the Russian-language news site of Estonian public broadcaster ERR, which cites the outlet "Actualnaya kamera". The incident matters because it shows that cybercriminals can interfere with equipment used in everyday retail, and it has drawn the attention of the country's security services.

Where the attacks happened

Shops in Sicily, the large island in southern Italy, were hit hardest. Several attacks were also recorded in Emilia-Romagna and Tuscany, regions in the north and centre of the country. According to the source, food worth several thousand euros had to be thrown away because of the overheated equipment.

What the security services think

The attacks affected only individual shops, and the damage turned out to be small. For that reason, Italian security services suspect that the hackers did not mean to cause serious economic harm. In their assessment, the goal was to sow fear in society.

The source does not say who is behind the attacks or whether anyone has claimed responsibility. It also does not explain how the hackers gained access to the cooling systems.