The United States has warned of an “ongoing cyber threat” against industrial refrigeration systems and urged all organizations that rely on refrigerated warehouses and temperature control to assume that they may become targets.
The warning was issued in a joint statement by the FBI, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the US Departments of Health and Human Services, Transportation, and Agriculture. It states that unidentified malicious cybercriminals are exploiting vulnerabilities in internet-accessible electronic systems that control temperature and commercial refrigeration.
Facilities in grocery stores and refrigerated warehouses are being targeted. In a successful attack, perpetrators could alter the temperature and cause physical consequences, including fire hazards, loss of goods, and changes to the equipment’s operational lifespan.
FBI Cyber Division Assistant Director Brett Lederman said that authorities “recognize that these systems are being targeted in critical infrastructure sectors around the world.”
Call to Isolate the Systems
The US government urged operators of industrial cooling systems to cut off access to the devices from the publicly accessible internet. Other recommendations include isolating them from corporate networks and immediately installing available software updates.
The warning comes after a series of attacks and malfunctions in the United States and Europe. In August, refrigeration facilities at stores on US military bases were affected by mysterious malfunctions. Pentagon investigators are treating the case as a likely cyberattack.
In October, an attack on freezers at French retail outlets caused tens of millions of euros in damage. On Monday, a new wave affected more than 100 stores in Europe.
The incidents have heightened concerns that remotely controlled refrigerators and other devices connected to critical processes could be used to disrupt operations, destroy food supplies, and damage equipment.
Sources: bta.bg, investing.com