Cyber risk has physical consequences

Your customer data stays secure. Your inventory spoils overnight.

Cybersecurity protects more than information.

On November 2, Reuters and The Associated Press reported refrigeration disruptions at supermarkets across several European countries.

Delhaize Belgium confirmed an IT incident affecting refrigeration in several dozen stores, mainly in Belgium and some in Luxembourg. Other operators reported suspected cyberattacks. Some stores discarded affected food.

Investigations remain ongoing. A common entry point or shared cause has not been established across these incidents.

My takeawayAssign accountability for connected equipment before a disruption forces the decision.

Bring operations, facilities, security, and suppliers together to:

• Inventory critical controllers and their dependencies.
• Identify who has remote access, including service providers.
• Remove unnecessary internet exposure.
• Separate operational systems from corporate networks.
• Restrict remote access and enforce strong authentication.
• Test safe local operation and recovery procedures.

CISA’s operational technology guidance supports inventory, controlled remote access, and network segmentation as foundational protections.

A supplier maintaining the equipment does not remove your responsibility for the business outcome.

Ask your team: “Which connected device would stop us serving customers if we lost control of the device tonight?”