Italian government convenes meeting over cyberattacks on supermarkets — RMF24
The Italian government has scheduled a meeting for Tuesday involving the intelligence services and the National Cybersecurity Agency following cyberattacks on supermarket refrigeration systems in several European countries. As RMF24 reports, incidents were recorded, in particular, in Sicily, where some products spoiled due to changes in equipment operating parameters.
Attacks on stores in Sicily
In Italy, the cyberattack affected at least four Coop stores operated by the Radenza group: three in Catania and one in Palermo. The company’s CEO, Giuseppe Spadaro, said that the perpetrators changed the equipment’s temperature settings. This led to the overheating of refrigerated display cases and the spoilage of some goods.
According to reports, the attack occurred at around 4 a.m. Italian services are examining its source, scale and a possible connection to similar incidents in other European countries.
The Tuesday morning meeting will be coordinated by Alfredo Mantovano, Deputy Secretary of State at the Prime Minister’s Office. It will be attended by representatives of the National Cybersecurity Agency and heads of intelligence services. The case may also be reviewed by COPASIR, the parliamentary committee overseeing intelligence services.
More current news is available on the UA.News Telegram channel Telegram.
Problems in seven countries
On the same day, retail chains in Belgium, Sweden, Luxembourg, Estonia, the Netherlands and Ireland reported problems with cooling systems. According to media reports, these incidents were similar to the case in France on October 12.
In the affected stores, refrigeration equipment was remotely switched to defrost mode. Temperatures exceeded permissible levels for food storage and, in some cases, could reach 50 degrees Celsius. Stores had to empty freezers and refrigerated rooms. Losses have not yet been assessed, but media report a risk that tonnes of products worth millions of euros may have to be disposed of.
The European Commission described the series of incidents as extremely alarming. European Commissioner for Agriculture Christophe Hansen suggested that this was a deliberate attempt to disrupt food supply chains and undermine consumer confidence. No group has yet claimed responsibility for the attacks, and Belgium’s federal prosecutor’s office has launched an investigation.
