technology ·
If hackers can take over a supermarket fridge, what else is at risk?
As our lives become more digitised, we show which smart systems can be hacked and how to protect yourself. xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoBy Hanna Duggal and Marium AliPublished On 11 Nov 202611 Nov 2026Hackers have twice taken control of supermarket fridges across Europe in less than a month, sparking fires and spoiling millions of euros’ worth of food.
On October 11 and 12, attackers heated units at about 700 French stores to as high as 50C (122F). On November 2, a second wave of suspected cyberattacks affected supermarkets and food businesses in at least nine European countries, including Belgium, Estonia, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Portugal and Sweden. France has since blamed the first attack on Shahid Kaveh, a cyberunit affiliated with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), calling it the first large-scale sabotage cyberattack on French soil.
It is not yet clear who was behind the second wave. The attacks have raised concern about how exposed internet-connected equipment has become, from industrial machinery to household appliances. Al Jazeera illustrates the devices at risk in your home and the essential services you rely on, and what you can do to protect yourself.
