The second wave of suspected cyberattacks targeting supermarket cooling systems has raised urgent questions from the outside world about how retailers can maintain necessary remote services while protecting their critical operational technologies.
Copenhagen, Denmark, November 2, 2026 /PRNewswire/ Several European supermarket chains have reported a new round of suspected cyberattacks that have affected their cooling systems. Just a few weeks ago, attackers were reported to have manipulated the cooling equipment at hundreds of stores in France, resulting in a significant loss of food.
The latest incidents occurred in Sweden, Belgium, and Luxembourg, highlighting an increasingly severe challenge faced by retailers: the operational technologies responsible for ensuring food safety ( OT ) are becoming more and more connected to external systems and service providers; if these connections lack adequate protection, they can pose potential security risks.
Unlike traditional cyberattacks that aim to steal data or disrupt IT services, attacks targeting operational technologies can immediately lead to physical consequences. Once a cooling system is compromised, it may result in food spoilage, operational disruptions, significant financial losses, and potential food safety risks.
The CEO of Danish industrial cybersecurity company Secomea, Michael Ferdinandsen, stated: "These incidents indicate that cybersecurity is no longer just about protecting information. When attackers interfere with operational technologies, the consequences can become physical."
He stated, "For retailers, the issue is not whether remote connectivity is needed or not. They definitely need it. The question is whether they have sufficient control over who can access the devices, what they can do with them, and what is allowed to be done."
The challenge lies not in the connection itself, but in how to control access.
Modern refrigeration systems rely on remote connections to operate efficiently. External service providers and maintenance technicians use remote connections to monitor temperatures, respond to alarms, diagnose faults, and maintain equipment at hundreds or even thousands of locations.
This type of connection is crucial for reducing response times and preventing device failures. However, it also presents potential entry points for attackers, especially when the operating devices are directly exposed to the internet or when remote users are granted access rights beyond what is necessary.
For supermarket chains that manage multiple locations, cooling systems, and external service providers, the challenges become even more complex. Different suppliers may use various connection methods, which makes it difficult for IT and security teams to consistently monitor who has access to critical infrastructure.
Michael Ferdinandsen explained, "Many organizations invest heavily in protecting the corporate IT environment, but operating the equipment often presents different challenges."
He stated, "These systems are designed to operate stably for many years, sometimes even decades. They may not be designed in accordance with today's connectivity requirements and network security standards. If the traditional IT remote access methods are applied directly without considering these differences, it could lead to unnecessary exposure risks."
Ensure access security without interfering with operations.
Protecting the refrigeration system does not mean canceling remote connections. On the contrary, retailers need a way to allow external technicians to perform necessary maintenance while ensuring that access to operational equipment is controlled and accountable.
A secure remote access solution tailored for OT can address this challenge by controlling connections at the level of individual assets, rather than granting users extensive access to the entire operational network.
Secomea indicates that its native OT architecture can establish secure connections for operational devices by deploying edge gateways ( Edge Gateway ) near the devices. Centralized access management, fine-grained permissions, and audit logs help organizations manage who can connect, which devices can be accessed, and when the access occurs.
This method has already been applied in the retail refrigeration industry. In Denmark, the professional refrigeration monitoring company AK-Centralen uses Secomea technology to provide remote monitoring support for the refrigeration systems of over 1,500 supermarkets. The secure connection enables the company to maintain necessary monitoring and service operations without the need for direct access to the internal networks of the supermarkets.
This case demonstrates that efficient remote maintenance and stronger network security controls can be achieved in parallel.
Operational resilience depends on visibility and control.
The issues arising from the latest incidents are far more than just related to supermarket refrigeration systems. From building management and energy systems to production machinery and logistics infrastructure, an increasing number of organizations rely on networked operational equipment that is maintained by external professionals.
As the degree of interconnection between these environments continues to increase, organizations need to manage third-party access in a consistent manner, limit permissions to the devices that users actually need to access, and maintain visibility over remote activities.
Secure remote access is just one part of this type of protection; other measures include vulnerability management, network segmentation, system updates, and continuous monitoring.
Michael Ferdinandsen summarized, "Organizations should not have to choose between maintaining operations and ensuring security."
He stated, "The goal is to support the remote assistance that modern operations rely on, while also providing the governance capabilities and control necessary for IT and the security team. This is particularly important when the systems involved have a direct impact on physical operations."
Although the specific methods behind the latest round of suspected attacks are still under investigation, these incidents once again remind people that security breaches in operational environments can quickly escalate into business continuity issues.
About Secomea
Secomea is a Danish industrial network security company that specializes in providing secure remote access for operational technology (OT). Secomea is designed specifically for industrial environments, helping organizations to securely connect to critical equipment, while also providing centralized governance, fine-grained access control, and remote access visibility for IT and security teams.
Secomea indicates that by combining secure operational connectivity capabilities with enterprise-level security requirements, companies help organizations enhance operational resilience, reduce network risks, and maintain control over third-party access.
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