US government agencies have warned that hackers are actively targeting industrial refrigeration and cold-chain monitoring systems worldwide, raising concerns about potential disruptions to food storage, medicine supplies, and other critical infrastructure.
In a joint advisory issued on November 5, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Department of Agriculture (USDA) and Department of Transportation (DOT) warned that attackers could exploit vulnerable refrigeration controllers to manipulate temperatures remotely.
The attacks could force refrigeration units into continuous heating and defrost cycles, potentially causing equipment damage, fire hazards, and significant inventory losses.
According to the advisory, cybercriminals are exploiting authentication bypasses, arbitrary code injection and weak security configurations to access unpatched or internet-connected refrigeration controllers.
These systems are commonly used in supermarkets, cold storage facilities, and industries that handle temperature-sensitive products.
Once attackers gain access, they can remotely change temperature settings, potentially shortening equipment life and making stored food and medicines unsafe for consumption.
The agencies also warned that denial-of-service attacks could prevent operators from monitoring current temperatures, creating additional risks for businesses and consumers.
FBI Cyber Branch Operations Director Brett Leatherman said industrial refrigeration and cold-chain monitoring systems protect food, medicine and other temperature-sensitive products, making them attractive targets for malicious cyber actors.
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The warning follows several waves of cyberattacks targeting supermarkets and refrigeration facilities across Europe.
According to The Hacker News, attackers targeted hundreds of supermarkets in Belgium, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal, Sweden and the UK.
In some incidents, refrigeration temperatures reportedly reached 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), spoiling food and causing financial losses.
The French Blood Establishment also confirmed a cybersecurity incident involving refrigeration equipment at three facilities used to store blood plasma.
Authorities have urged organizations to strengthen authentication, update software, identify internet-accessible systems, and isolate operational technology devices from corporate networks.
They have also recommended changing default passwords, removing unnecessary remote access and replacing legacy equipment that no longer receives security updates.
Data from cybersecurity platform Censys showed that exposed Danfoss StoreView instances declined from 3,004 on October 9 to 708 on November 5, 2026. Exposed Copeland/Dixell XWEB systems also fell from 3,708 to 2,420.
However, the remaining internet-accessible devices continue to raise concerns about vulnerabilities in critical infrastructure.