The Urgent Need for Secure Remote Access in European Supermarkets Amid Cyberattacks

In an alarming trend, several supermarket chains across Europe have reported a resurgence of suspected cyberattacks targeting their refrigeration systems. This wave of incidents has raised serious concerns about how retailers can protect critical operations while still maintaining necessary remote maintenance services. The gravity of the situation became evident shortly after reports revealed that attackers had manipulated cooling systems in hundreds of French supermarkets, leading to significant food losses.

The recent incidents, which have surfaced in countries like Sweden, Belgium, and Luxembourg, underscore a growing challenge for retailers. The Operational Technology (OT) responsible for food safety is becoming increasingly interconnected with external systems and service providers, introducing potential security risks if such connections are not adequately secured. Unlike conventional cyberattacks that aim to steal data or disrupt IT services, attacks on operational technology can have immediate physical consequences. Compromised refrigeration systems can result in spoiled food, operational interruptions, severe financial losses, and potential threats to food safety.

Michael Ferdinandsen, CEO of Secomea, a Danish industrial cybersecurity firm specializing in secure remote access, remarks, "These incidents illustrate that cybersecurity is no longer just about protecting data. When attackers manipulate operational technology, the consequences are tangible and physical." For retailers, the question is no longer whether they need remote access; it's about ensuring they have sufficient control over who can access their systems, what they can access, and what they can do with that access.

The heart of the challenge lies not within connectivity itself but in access control. Modern refrigeration systems depend on remote access for efficient operation. External service providers and maintenance technicians utilize this access to monitor temperatures, respond to alarms, diagnose issues, and maintain equipment across hundreds or thousands of locations. While this connectivity is vital for minimizing response times and preventing equipment failures, it also creates potential entry points for attackers. Especially problematic are scenarios where operational devices are directly connected to the internet, or where remote users are granted broader access rights than necessary.

The complexity escalates for supermarket chains that manage multiple locations, refrigeration systems, and external service providers. Different providers may implement varying access methods, complicating the IT and security teams' efforts to monitor who can connect to their critical infrastructure.

Michael Ferdinandsen explains, "Many companies have invested heavily in securing their operational IT environments, but operational devices often present a different challenge. These systems were designed to operate reliably over many years, sometimes decades, and were not necessarily built with today's connectivity and cybersecurity requirements in mind. Applying traditional IT remote access principles without regard for these differences can introduce unnecessary risks."

Securing Access Without Disrupting Operations

Safeguarding refrigeration systems doesn't necessitate foregoing remote access altogether. Instead, retailers require a strategy that allows external technicians to perform necessary maintenance while keeping access to operational systems controlled and traceable. A secure remote access solution tailored for OT effectively addresses this challenge by managing connections at the individual equipment level rather than granting users blanket access to operational networks.

The OT-native architecture employed by Secomea facilitates secure connections to operational equipment via edge gateways positioned close to the machinery. Centralized access management, detailed permissions, and audit logs enable companies to regulate who is allowed to connect, which devices they can access, and when.

This approach is already being utilized in the retail refrigeration sector. In Denmark, the cooling monitoring specialist AK-Centralen leverages Secomea's technology to support remote monitoring of refrigeration systems for over 1,500 supermarkets. The secure connectivity allows the company to maintain crucial monitoring and maintenance operations without needing direct access to the supermarkets' internal networks. This case illustrates that effective remote maintenance and strengthened cybersecurity can indeed coexist.

Operational Resilience Relies on Transparency and Control

The recent cyberattack incidents raise questions that extend beyond supermarket refrigeration systems. From building management and energy systems to manufacturing machines and logistics infrastructures, companies increasingly depend on connected operational facilities maintained by external specialists. As these environments become more interlinked, businesses require unified methods to manage third-party access, restrict permissions to only the necessary equipment, and keep track of remote activities.

Secure remote access is an essential component of this protective strategy, along with vulnerability management, network segmentation, system updates, and ongoing monitoring. "Companies should not have to choose between maintaining operations and ensuring their security," summarizes Michael Ferdinandsen. "The goal is to enable the remote support operations that modern businesses rely on while also providing IT and security teams with the control and oversight they need. This is particularly crucial when the systems in question directly impact physical operations."

While the exact methods behind the latest suspected attacks are still under investigation, these incidents serve once again as a warning that failures in cybersecurity within operational environments can quickly spiral into issues affecting business continuity.

About Secomea

Secomea is a Danish industrial cybersecurity company specializing in secure remote access for operational technology (OT). Designed specifically for industrial environments, Secomea helps organizations establish secure connections to critical assets while allowing IT and security teams to benefit from centralized control, granular access management, and transparent remote access. By combining secure operational connectivity with the security requirements of businesses, Secomea assists organizations in enhancing their operational resilience, mitigating cyber risks, and maintaining control over third-party access.