Experts warn surge in cyber attacks on everyday devices as AI reveals new vulnerabilities

A London fruit-and-vegetable wholesaler discovered that the defrost lights on several refrigeration units were flashing and temperatures were rising to 150 °C, prompting the owner to disconnect the internet cable. Similar temperature spikes were reported in retail outlets across Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden, leading the owner to warn that a fire could have resulted if the issue had occurred on a weekend.

The incidents were part of a series of cyber attacks that also included a $6.3 billion theft from the Binance cryptocurrency exchange on 30 October and a fake nuclear strike alert sent through Ukraine’s emergency alert app on 1 November. Richard Horne, head of the UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), said the attacks signal that “we are in the foothills of a new hacking landscape” and warned of a “huge rise in the volume of incidents” as AI tools expose more system flaws.

AI-driven vulnerability discovery has accelerated, with the Anthropic Mythos model reportedly increasing the number of identified flaws eight-fold since April. While the number of discovered vulnerabilities has surged, cybersecurity expert Tal Be’ery noted that this has not yet translated into a proportional increase in successful breaches.

The refrigeration attacks exploited outdated control-system software that no longer receives security updates. Danfoss, a Danish supplier of the affected systems, said most of the compromised equipment was obsolete and had long been advised to be updated or replaced. NCSC officials, including chief technology officer Ollie Whitehouse, emphasized that internet-connected devices—from smart speakers to broadband routers—remain attractive targets and that manufacturers must improve product security while consumers should be prepared to invest in more robust solutions.

Geopolitical factors also play a role. Some analysts see Russian tactics in the methods used to breach the fridge controllers, while the Binance hack has been linked to North Korean actors. However, experts such as Samuli Bergström of WithSecure caution that state-linked groups are not the only perpetrators; opportunistic criminal gangs also exploit readily available internet-connected devices.

In response to the rising threat, the UK government launched the “Be Ready” campaign, urging households to store three days’ worth of food and water for emergencies. Defence Secretary Wes Streeting highlighted the need to prepare for “state-sponsored terrorism” targeting critical infrastructure.

Despite the heightened risk, some security firms, including Sophos, have not observed large-scale incidents stemming from the recent PHP vulnerability, though attempts to exploit it have been reported. The NCSC warned that AI-enhanced malware could be used against power stations, airports and hospitals by 2028, but noted that the fridge attackers did not need AI to find the flaws, as many were already publicly documented.

The wholesale business owner, who has not reconnected the internet cable, said the episode underscored the importance of keeping monitoring systems up to date. “Have we learned a lesson? Yes,” he said, adding that the vulnerability was one he should have been aware of, though the impact on his operation was limited.