K-store freezer attack exposes gaps in connected-device security

A cyberattack disrupted refrigeration systems at K stores in Finland overnight on Monday, exposing vulnerabilities in internet-connected equipment, Yle reports. Damage in Finland appears to have been limited, but similar problems have been reported elsewhere in Europe.

The attacks targeted systems made by Danish company Danfoss. A security research team at Claroty disclosed several serious vulnerabilities in the systems in August, including flaws that could allow attackers to bypass logins and take remote control of equipment. Danfoss had issued a software update, but not all stores had installed it.

Stephan Moelans, chief executive of Belgian refrigeration systems provider Sabcobel, has acknowledged that updates have been difficult to implement. Some equipment is so old that it cannot be updated.

Security specialist Mikko Hyppönen, research director at drone-defence company Sensofusion, said businesses do not always know which systems are connected to their networks. Equipment may also be hidden under different names or become connected after companies merge, he said.

Food has reportedly been discarded in several European countries, including the Netherlands, Ireland, Portugal, France, Sweden and Estonia. The BBC has reported that the losses amounted to millions of euros. The attacker and the motive remain unknown.

Remote connections help grocery stores monitor products, maintain cold chains, carry out servicing and defrost refrigeration equipment. Hyppönen said the latest incidents also highlight the growing challenge of keeping connected systems secure. Artificial intelligence is making it easier to find and combine vulnerabilities, he said.

In the previous week, researchers used artificial intelligence to identify critical vulnerabilities in the PHP programming language, leading to millions of websites being shut down, according to the article.