The Kremlin denied on Thursday that Russia was involved in cyberattacks that hit supermarket refrigerators, calling the allegations "absurd." Dmitry Peskov, a Kremlin spokesperson, said accusations of Russian involvement are "unfounded," according to reports in Russian media. He added that such allegations are "becoming a persistent trend in European countries."
Supermarket refrigerators have been hacked in multiple European countries over the past few weeks, forcing retailers to throw away thawing fresh and frozen food. The attacks also reached French blood banks, though the French blood collection service said its supplies were not affected.
Pro-Russian hacker groups claimed the attacks on Wednesday, according to the BBC. Those groups quickly deleted the claims. The report notes that it is difficult to attribute a cyberattack to a specific actor.
Xavier Bellekens, CEO of the cybersecurity firm Lupovis, told POLITICO that clues pointed to "a Russian state-sponsored threat actor." A report from the cyber defense firm Sekoia noted that "Iranian-aligned actors have an established record" of targeting supermarkets, including in the U.S. and Israel. Cybersecurity authorities in the affected countries have not publicly attributed the attacks.