Pro-Russian hackers claim responsibility for attacks on refrigerators in EU

Two pro-Russian hacker groups, Noname057(16) and Z-Pentest, have claimed responsibility for attacks on refrigeration and freezing systems in several European countries, including Sweden. In a social-media video, they said they exploited the way the systems were integrated and did not need to deploy malicious software. The groups also claimed they could gain access to water-supply networks, industrial facilities and power plants; these statements are their claims, as reported by the Ansa news agency.

The reported disruption became visible in Sweden on Monday night, when refrigerators and freezers at several food businesses began warming up. Stores had to discard food, and affected businesses included Coop and ICA outlets as well as smaller cafés and restaurants. The account does not specify how many locations or countries were affected, or provide independent technical confirmation of the groups’ claims. The incident demonstrates how connected refrigeration equipment can become a target with consequences beyond digital systems: failures can quickly threaten food stocks and disrupt ordinary business operations.