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A new cold war: hackers target fridges across the globe

Nov 3, 2026 · Jenna McLaughlin

Originally published by NPR News Read the original

A new cold war: hackers target fridges across the globe
A woman walks past empty fresh-food refrigerators at an Intermarché supermarket in Névez, western France, on Oct. 12, following a cyberattack affecting the French supermarket chains Intermarché and Cooperative U that caused their refrigerators to defrost. Some 150 to 200 Intermarché stores were targ
A woman walks past empty fresh-food refrigerators at an Intermarché supermarket in Névez, western France, on Oct. 12, following a cyberattack affecting the French supermarket chains Intermarché and Cooperative U that caused their refrigerators to defrost. Some 150 to 200 Intermarché stores were targ

NPR investigated cyberattacks on the digital devices that control industrial refrigerators, revealing the extent to which operational technology is exposed to damage and disruption.

(Image credit: Fred Tanneau)

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