Most of us think of cyber attacks as something that happens to laptops, email and bank accounts. A run of recent incidents overseas is a reminder that anything plugged into the internet can be a target – including the fridges and freezers a business depends on.
The Guardian opened its report with a London fruit and vegetable wholesaler who, doing his morning rounds, found the defrost light on across his refrigeration units and a panel reading of 150C. Wired describes an escalating spree of hacks affecting blood labs and grocery stores, and puts it down to basic security lapses in internet-connected devices. In the US, CBS News reports that government agencies are warning hackers could target refrigeration units across the agriculture and healthcare sectors.
Why this matters in Sydney
Cafes, restaurants, grocers, pharmacies, clinics and warehouses increasingly run cool rooms, freezers and other equipment with remote monitoring or an app. That convenience usually means the controller is reachable over the internet. If it still has the installer’s default password, or has never been updated, it can be an easy way in – and the cost is spoiled stock, not just a bad day in IT.
Five practical steps
- List what is connected. Fridges, freezers, alarms, cameras, air conditioning and point-of-sale gear all count.
- Change default passwords. Ask your installer or refrigeration technician if you are not sure how.
- Keep it off the open internet. Remote access should go through a secure connection, not a device anyone can find.
- Separate it from your office network. Equipment should not share a network with your computers and customer data.
- Check for updates and keep an eye on alerts. Make sure temperature alarms go to a phone someone actually answers.
None of this needs a big budget, but it does need someone to look.
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