Cyberattack in Belgium knocks out refrigeration systems in 100 stores

OBOURG, Belgium (CBS, KYMA) - A Belgian neighborhood supermarket was rushing to refill empty freezers on Tuesday after a cyberattack knocked out refrigeration systems at around 100 stores across Belgium, forcing staff to throw away large quantities of spoiled food.

At the SPAR store in Obourg, near Mons, frozen products were among the hardest hit, with workers unloading truckloads of replacement goods and restocking aisles at speed.

While the supermarket temporarily disconnected its systems from the internet to prevent further attacks, managers remain concerned about the risk of future disruptions.

Another manager, Romain Delespesse, said they never expected a small local supermarket to be targeted, but now believe the hackers scanned large numbers of connected devices and penetrated any that were vulnerable.

The hacking attack on Monday hit fridges and freezers from Sweden to Belgium, in an incident that echoed a similar attack in France last month.

New attacks against refrigeration systems were also reported overnight in Germany, raising concerns among affected retailers that the disruption could continue.