Secomea: Cyberattacks on European supermarket cooling systems highlight the need for secure remote access

Copenhagen, Denmark, November 3, 2026 / PRNewswire / -- The second wave of suspected cyberattacks on European supermarket refrigeration systems has raised urgent questions about how retailers can protect their critical operational technologies while maintaining essential remote services.

Chain supermarkets across Europe have reported that their cooling systems have been affected by a new round of suspected cyberattacks. Just a few weeks ago, it was reported that attackers had manipulated the cooling equipment in 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 such 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 result in physical consequences. Once a cooling system is compromised, it may lead to food spoilage, operational disruptions, significant economic losses, and potential food safety risks.

Secomea CEO Michael Ferdinandsen stated: "These incidents demonstrate 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; they clearly do need it. The question is whether they have sufficient control over who can access their devices, what content can be accessed, and what operations are allowed to be performed."

The challenge does not lie in the connection itself, but in access control.

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 located at hundreds or thousands of sites.

This type of connection is crucial for reducing response times and preventing device failures. However, it also presents potential entry points for attacks, especially when the operating devices are directly exposed to the internet or when remote users are granted access beyond what is necessary.

For chain supermarkets that manage multiple stores, refrigeration systems, and external service providers, this challenge becomes even more complex. Different providers may use various connection methods, making it difficult for the security team to continuously and uniformly keep track of who has access to critical infrastructure.

Michael Ferdinandsen indicates that "many organizations have invested heavily in protecting the corporate IT environment, but operating equipment often presents different challenges."

He stated, "These systems were originally designed to operate stably for many years, even decades. They may not have been built with today's requirements for connectivity and network security in mind. If we apply traditional remote access methods without considering these differences, it could lead to unnecessary exposure risks."

Ensure access without interfering with operations.

Secomea indicates that protecting the cooling system does not mean canceling remote connections. On the contrary, retailers need a method that allows external technicians to perform necessary maintenance tasks while ensuring that access to operational equipment is always under control and can be traced.

Operational technologies ( OT ) designed specifically for such scenarios provide secure remote access to systems. By controlling connections at the level of individual assets, rather than granting users extensive access to the operational network, these technologies help to address this challenge.

Secomea indicates that its architecture, designed specifically for the OT environment, can establish secure connections with operational devices through edge gateways (Edge Gateways) deployed near the assets. Centralized access management, fine-grained permissions, and audit logs help organizations control who can connect, which devices can be accessed, and when the access can occur.

The company stated that this method has already been applied in the field of commercial refrigeration. In Denmark, refrigeration system monitoring experts AK-Centralen use Secomea technology to provide remote monitoring for the refrigeration systems of over 1,500 supermarkets. The secure connection enables the company to carry out critical monitoring and maintenance tasks without the need to directly access the internal networks of the supermarkets.

Secomea indicates that 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 company stated that the issues arising from the latest incident are far more extensive than just the supermarket's refrigeration system. 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 these environments become more interconnected, organizations need consistent methods to manage access by third parties, to limit permissions to the resources that users actually need, and to maintain visibility over remote activities.

Secomea indicates that secure remote access is part of this type of protection; other measures include vulnerability management, network segmentation, system updates, and continuous monitoring.

Michael Ferdinandsen indicates: "Organizations should not have to choose between maintaining operations and ensuring security."

He stated, "The goal is to support remote support that is essential for modern operations, while also providing the governance capabilities and control necessary for IT and the security team. This is particularly important when the relevant systems directly affect operational activities."

According to Secomea, although the specific methods used in the recent 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). The company states that its solutions are designed specifically for industrial environments, helping organizations to securely connect 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.

"Designed for OT, approved by IT."