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CISA, FBI, HHS, USDA, and DOT Urge Critical Infrastructure To Strengthen Industrial Refrigeration and Cold Chain Monitoring Systems Cybersecurity
United States Government Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) ^ | ReleasedNovember 05, 2026 | CISA

Posted on 11/05/2026 8:24:01 PM PST by NorthMountain

WASHINGTON – Today, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Department of Transportation (DOT) published a fact sheet that warns organizations of ongoing cyber threat activity targeting industrial refrigeration and cold chain monitoring systems. Critical infrastructure sectors that widely use these systems include Healthcare and Public Health, Chemical, Food and Agriculture, and Transportation Systems.

Globally, malicious cyber actors are targeting vulnerabilities and weaknesses in unpatched or internet-accessible electronic temperature controllers and commercial refrigeration controllers in retail grocery and cold storage facilities. If successfully exploited, the actors could change the temperature and possibly cause physical impacts such as fire hazards, loss of inventory and changes to the service life of the system. The fact sheet provides recommended best practices and protections against this threat activity such as:

Remove control system devices and/or systems from the internet.

Change default passwords and strengthen passwords.

Apply patches and keep devices and systems updated.

Identify, retire, and replace legacy devices that the vendor no longer supports.

“In close collaboration with our government, industry and international partners, CISA is actively tracking this threat activity,” said CISA Acting Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Chris Butera. “Every organization that depends on refrigeration and monitoring systems should assume it could be a target. We urge you to review the joint fact sheet and take action now to close known security gaps.”

“Industrial refrigeration and cold-chain monitoring systems protect food, medicine, and other temperature-sensitive products, making them attractive targets for malicious cyber actors,” said FBI Cyber Branch Operations Director Brett Leatherman. “We are seeing these systems targeted across critical infrastructure sectors globally, putting inventory and equipment at risk. This fact sheet provides clear, practical steps that network defenders can take to reduce that risk and protect operations. The FBI urges every organization that relies on these systems to review our guidance, implement the recommended mitigations, and report any suspicious activity to the FBI.”

For more information on how to protect against cyber threats, visit Cybersecurity Best Practices.

###

About CISA

As the nation’s cyber defense agency and national coordinator for critical infrastructure security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency leads the national effort to manage, uncover, and reduce risk to our digital and physical infrastructure Americans rely on every hour of every day.


TOPICS: Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: cybersecurity; hackers; iot

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This is the press release behind the "yahoo" article.
1 posted on 11/05/2026 8:24:01 PM PST by NorthMountain
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To: All
They could do that.

Or they could just plug their freezers / refrigerators into the electrical system instead of their computers.

(I know it is much more complex than that, but sometimes the simplest solutions are the easiest, at least in emergencies. (And then hope your electrical grid doesn't get hacked.))

2 posted on 11/05/2026 8:47:20 PM PST by LegendHasIt
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To: LegendHasIt

Those Iranian bastards can hack the frozen food aisle and turn Marie Callender into mush overnight! Damn!


3 posted on 11/05/2026 9:01:37 PM PST by Wally_Kalbacken
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To: NorthMountain

Oh no!

My Samsung smart refrigerator is speaking Farsi!

It’s turned the stew beef into kabobs, too!


4 posted on 11/05/2026 9:47:51 PM PST by chickenlips (The cost of freedom is going up, but it's not from inflation.)
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To: NorthMountain

Bkmk


5 posted on 11/05/2026 10:26:41 PM PST by sauropod ("Quando Omni Flunkus Moritati." Ne supra crepidam)
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