Science & Tech · Cybersecurity · 1 hr ago
Pentagon investigates military base freezer failures as suspected cyberattack
The Pentagon is treating August freezer failures at US military bases as a suspected hack.
At least six on-base stores, called commissaries, were affected, and spoiled food was reported.
In one case at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, a freezer heated up overnight and ruined its contents.
US military investigators are working with French law enforcement over similar freezer outages in Europe.
In France, hackers reportedly raised temperatures in cooling units at more than 350 stores, spoiling food and causing some units to catch fire.
The incidents show how food storage systems can be vulnerable to cyberattacks, with costly effects on food supplies.
Investigators have not said who was responsible or whether they have identified the cause, and the Pentagon says its Cyber Command unit is coordinating with government agencies and law enforcement.
The Pentagon is investigating August freezer failures at US military bases as a suspected cyberattack, according to four officials.
At least six on-base stores, known as commissaries, were affected, and food was spoiled.
US military investigators are working with French law enforcement on similar freezer disruptions at French supermarkets.
Investigators have not said who was responsible or whether they have identified the cause.
In one US incident, a freezer’s temperature rose overnight, leaving food spoiled.
- Who
- The Pentagon and US military investigators are investigating. French law enforcement is also involved in the work on the European outages.
- What
- Freezer failures at US military bases are being treated as a suspected cyberattack. The cause and those responsible are not known.
- When
- The US malfunctions occurred in August, with at least six commissaries affected in late August.
- Where
- US military bases across the United States. Investigators are also working with French authorities on similar incidents in France.
- Why
- Investigators suspect a cyberattack because temperatures in some units were raised, spoiling food. The motive is not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Fort Huachuca said a freezer went into defrost mode and heated the food.
Freezer malfunctions spoiled food at US military bases.
The blog Signal and Silence reported the freezer failures and the possibility of sabotage.
A similar cyberattack disrupted commercial freezers at French supermarkets.
Reports said the Pentagon was treating the US incidents as a suspected hack.
- Affected US sites
- At least six commissaries
- Fort Huachuca incident
- August 26
- French commercial sites
- More than 350 establishments
- US investigation
- Pentagon and Army Criminal Investigation Division
- French cooperation
- French law enforcement
- Suspected cause
- Cyberattack, not confirmed
3 sources
What people are saying
working in close coordination with interagency and law enforcement partners.
went into defrost mode where it heated up all the food. Trust us when we say it was 'spoiled.'