It was probably a simple vulnerability that yesterday allowed hackers to access refrigerated counters in supermarkets in several European countries - including Denmark.

According to DR News' research, it appears that the control panel of the refrigerated counters was protected by a relatively simple password that is updated daily, but which is equally easy to break, so you can access the cooling systems if you know the code behind it.

"As an attacker, the advantage of such a flaw is that a system with such a vulnerability can be found in many places, and if you figure out how to exploit the vulnerability in one place, you can also exploit that vulnerability in all the other places," says Jens Myrup Pedersen.

"Software is often released, and it is not perfect, and then people can find the flaws, and that is probably what has happened here," explains Jens Myrup Pedersen, a professor in computer technology, he elaborates.

Empty counters in the meat department of a Swedish supermarket after yesterday's cyberattack. (Photo: © Natalia Campos, Reuters/Ritzau Scanpix)

Danfoss: 'Update the systems'

The Danish company Danfoss confirmed yesterday that among other things, it was their systems that were hacked during yesterday's attack on European supermarkets.

With the help of what they describe as "well-intentioned hackers", the company discovered the vulnerabilities in question some time ago.

Since then, they have urged their customers to have the systems replaced or updated, says Kasper Elbjørn, communications director at Danfoss.

"There are some who have not gotten around to it, and that is deeply regrettable, both for us, for them and for their customers. Now it is about standing together and learning from this instead of pointing fingers."

He says that if the systems are to be completely replaced, the financial burden lies with the customers.

Danfoss' communications director urges the company's customers to update the software in refrigerated counters and freezers.

Plenty of visibility

Yesterday, news began to appear that freezers and refrigerated counters in supermarkets in a number of European countries had been hacked - including Denmark.

At the time of writing, the perpetrators are unknown. In Sweden, they succeeded in adjusting the temperature in some refrigerators and freezers to 50 degrees overnight, so the goods were damaged and had to be destroyed.

Jens Myrup Pedersen says that hacker attacks on such tangible things as refrigerated counters are very much in line with what malicious hackers are after.

"I don't dare guess what will be next. I wouldn't have guessed refrigerated counters as a target either. But hackers go after easy targets, and something that gives great visibility, and these refrigerated counters certainly do."

"It creates uncertainty, and it is about our food safety, and it is extremely visual that you can see this food being thrown out."

Generally, we are not well enough prepared for the type of attacks that we saw against European supermarkets yesterday, Jens Myrup Pedersen assesses.

"We underestimate how easy it is to get into places where vulnerabilities have been found. We also underestimate how many vulnerabilities are not being patched."

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