There’s no clear evidence yet of who is responsible for this but one can’t help but wonder whether a rogue AI agent is somehow involved…
Were the TechBros correct when they say that AI could lead to the end of humanity?
WTAF were these supermarkets doing not to have fail safe arrangements in place such as an alerting email or alarm to key staff members that the fridges were outside the normal parameters and heating up?
Just beggars belief.
The suggestion is that the fridges were end of current range and outside of software updates leaving them vulnerable to attack.
If you have a so called “smart home” just imagine what could happen if your connected systems are not kept up to date and you are using a network which is no longer receiving software updates because it is no longer supported by the software vendor (such as Windoze XP which still seems to be favoured by some health service institutions as discovered during the pandemic!).
No doubt before too long, insurance companies will wise up to the risks and either hike up premiums or introduce exclusion clauses (or perhaps both).
Either way, this is going to cost the ordinary consumer massively and perhaps put many lives at risk, as predicted.
Those who recommend caution about these new massive data centres, the insurgence of AI in our daily lives and the incessant desire to automate everything in an effort to save cost are absolutely spot on and their message should be heeded.
I went shopping yesterday in carrefour. And the frozen goods did not look that wonderful, as if they had defrosted and re frozen lots of ice around which is usually a sign.
But I question the truth of this, I thought like home fridges they are just plugged in and the thermostat does the switching on and off, perhaps around a cheaper rate electric but not connected to the internet ?
Or am i just too old to understand
If seems they were internet. connected. How stupid is that . We have enough trouble protecting things like banks that have to be connected. Why go looking for trouble with useless connections.
Everything that is not some sort of vital server should be isolated.
It seems that they have some sort of high level linkup which manages fridges … so the hackers did not have to hack each fridge, they breached the high level point and sabotaged all fridges simultaneously
The majority of units affected are products from an old line that have reached the end of their lifecycle and no longer recieves software or security updates
I have very weird feelings. I must be a stupid conspiracy theorist…
Software update… Lifecycle… for a frigider!!!
As a banner ad:
Steamed vegetables for sale at a low price at the same location
you might think that Paul, I couldn’t possibly comment
Conspiracy theorists suggest that most domestic stuff like smart TV’s, Tesla cars and smart Fridge/Freezers are similarity connectable to the internet so they can be monitored by users using apps on the mobile phones in much the same way your home alarm system can contact you through your router if an alarm condition is met. You can also turn your heating and lights on remotely before arriving home all made more possible with the extension of FTTH of course.
Although our local InterMarché was listed a one of the affected, the other half asked at the acceuil this morning (they’ve just had a complete refurb) and none of their fridges wee involved, thankfully so that’s a relief.
If the attacked hacks were not bad enough the backdoor vulnerability was disclosed to the public this past August. Why tell the world about a backdoor?
“Cybersecurity researchers from Team82 had publicly flagged a major vulnerability in Danfoss refrigeration controllers just months prior, in August. They discovered a hidden authentication mechanism within the hardware’s operating code. Hackers were able to use this hidden backdoor to completely bypass standard login screens and gain full administrative privileges”
You would also think each store would have it’s own controller, but it seems instead 100’s of stores were connected to the same hardware controller.
The one at gemozac said they were effected so got rid of all the stock. Shame they rid not just donate it to a local food bank or charity…
Apart from our computers tablets and phones we have nothing using the internet of things. My Tv not used for 3 or 4 years, everything else we do by hand plugging in switching on or off. Simple life
Of course hindsight is always 20-20, but it is surprising the system for the refrigerators did not have some type of alarm for high temperature built in or did not have maximum temperature that could be set.
So far the only item in my house that can be controlled / set by the internet is my thermostat. So I suppose someone could turn up the temp in my house to 90 (33 C) degrees.
