US military investigators are examining whether hackers deliberately tampered with refrigeration systems at military bases across America after a series of freezer malfunctions spoiled food in August, according to four officials familiar with the matter.
uncertain
series → examine → matter
The Pentagon is also in contact with French counterparts investigating a similar incident that disrupted commercial freezers at supermarkets in France earlier this month, one of the officials said.
asserted
one → investigate → officials
Reuters could not establish how far the US investigation had progressed or whether investigators had identified the cause of the malfunctions or those responsible.
uncertain
investigators → establish → malfunctions
The Pentagon said a unit of US Cyber Command, the military's cyber force, was "working in close coordination with interagency and law enforcement partners".
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unit → say → partners
It did not provide further details.
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It → provide → details
The US Army Criminal Investigation Division confirmed that its Cyber Field Office was involved and was working with French law enforcement to better understand "the refrigeration outages in Europe".
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Office → confirm → Europe
The suspected attack affected at least six military commissaries, which are on-base shops where service personnel buy food, according to a Reuters review of social media posts and website updates published by the affected bases in August.
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personnel → suspect → August
Freezers allegedly switched to heating mode
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Freezers → switch → mode
The incidents occurred in late August and involved more than ordinary equipment failures.
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incidents → occur → failures
In at least one case, the temperature settings of refrigeration units were raised overnight, leaving large quantities of food spoiled by the following morning.
asserted
settings → raise → morning
A Facebook post from Fort Huachuca in Arizona on August 26 described what had happened to its freezer.
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what → describe → freezer
The account said the unit "went into defrost mode where it heated up all the food.
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it → say → food
Trust us when we say it was 'spoiled.'
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it → trust → us
"
The possibility that the incidents involved deliberate cyber interference was first reported on August 28 by the recently launched blog Signal and Silence.
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incidents → involve → blog
The involvement of military investigators and their contacts with French authorities were subsequently reported by Stars and Stripes and Britain's Daily Telegraph.
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involvement → report → Stars
Reuters is now reporting for the first time that the Pentagon is treating the incidents as a suspected hack.
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Pentagon → report → hack
French supermarket attack offers possible clues
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attack → offer → clues
The US investigation comes after a similar incident in France, where hackers reportedly altered temperature controls on commercial refrigeration units at more than 350 establishments.
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hackers → come → establishments
Supermarkets were forced to remove spoiled frozen food from their shelves.
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Supermarkets → force → shelves
In some cases, temperatures were raised so sharply that refrigeration units caught fire.
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units → raise → fire
One supermarket owner estimated earlier this month that the damage nationwide could run into tens of millions of euros.
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damage → estimate → euros
Experts previously told Reuters that the French attack appeared relatively easy to carry out.
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attack → tell → Reuters
Danish refrigeration technology company Danfoss said many of the controllers used in the affected units were obsolete or running outdated firmware, potentially making them easier to compromise.
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them → say → firmware
Reuters could not determine whether Danfoss equipment, or controllers made by another manufacturer, were installed at the affected US military bases.
uncertain
equipment → determine → bases
Danfoss did not respond to requests for comment.
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Danfoss → respond → comment
Why refrigeration systems are a cybersecurity risk
Refrigeration is essential to keeping food safe during storage and distribution.
asserted
Refrigeration → keep → storage
If hackers can remotely change a cooling system's settings, they may be able to spoil food without shutting the equipment down entirely.
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they → change → equipment
The Global Food Safety Initiative, an industry body, earlier this year urged food safety professionals and information technology leaders to work together to ensure "robust cybersecurity" for refrigeration systems.
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Initiative → urge → systems
It warned that "a hacked cooling system is just as dangerous as a broken one."
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system → warn → one
Previous incidents have demonstrated the risks.
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incidents → demonstrate → risks
Danfoss said hackers targeted or accessed supermarkets in Russia and Israel in 2022 that were using outdated versions of its refrigeration controllers.
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that → say → controllers
In December last year, federal prosecutors in Los Angeles accused a Ukrainian woman of belonging to a hacking group that disrupted refrigeration at a meatpacking facility in 2024, ruining more than 2,000 pounds of meat.
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that → accuse → meat
Bill Moore, chief executive of industrial cybersecurity firm Xona Systems, said refrigeration controllers were originally designed to be managed by technicians working on site.
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controllers → say → site
Increasingly, however, such equipment is connected to the internet, potentially exposing it to remote attacks.
asserted
equipment → connect → attacks
The risks extend beyond refrigeration, but the consequences can be particularly serious when food storage is involved.
asserted
storage → extend → refrigeration
"It can definitely disrupt the supply chain for food," Moore said.
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Moore → disrupt → food
Investigators have yet to establish whether the US military incidents were caused by hackers, how the systems may have been accessed or who could have been responsible.
uncertain
who → have → hackers
If a cyberattack is confirmed, the case would highlight how digital interference with seemingly ordinary equipment can threaten food supplies and critical infrastructure.
asserted
interference → confirm → supplies
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