Massive Cyberattack Hits 8 European Nations: Freezers Melt Down and Food Spoilage Spreads

The shelves that used to be filled with refrigerated foods are now completely empty.

At another grocery store, employees are throwing away refrigerated goods into garbage bags.

Between the night of November 1 and the early hours of November 2, local time, major supermarket and hypermarket chains across Europe, including Belgium, came under cyberattack.

The temperature settings of in-store refrigeration and freezing facilities were manipulated or forcibly switched to defrost mode, causing internal temperatures to soar up to 50°C (122°F).

[Mathieu Tilleman / Store Manager: Unfortunately, the temperature here (in the freezer) has risen above 20°C, even though it's supposed to be minus 20°C.]

In Belgium, dozens of stores from a single supermarket chain suffered damage, and 15 Carrefour stores reportedly experienced the same issue.

Similar damage was reported in eight other European countries, including Italy, Sweden, and Finland.

The culprit behind a mid-last-month cyberattack that affected over 700 supermarkets in France has still not been caught, and no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The European Union condemned the incident as a deliberate attempt to disrupt the food supply chain, and affected nations such as Italy planned to hold emergency response meetings on November 3.

[Paulo Cardoso / Security Expert: This is a problem that arises because it is important yet often overlooked, which damages corporate image and generates hidden costs. It is also a warning to other sectors with weak security.]

Some experts have pointed to the increase in cyberattacks within Europe following the outbreak of the war in Ukraine, noting that given the lack of financial demands and the intent to cause chaos, the attacks were likely state-sponsored.

"What's wrong with the refrigerators!" Temperatures soar again… What is happening across Europe (November 3, 2026, 8 News)

Reported by Kwon Young-in | Produced by Choi Yoon-seo | Filmed by Kim Si-nae | Video Edited by Lim Yeojin | Produced by SBS Digital News
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.