Refrigeration systems hacked: who monitors the temperature when the controls are attacked?
A cyberattack with consequences reaching right onto supermarket shelves. In early November, refrigeration systems at several European supermarkets were disrupted by digital attacks. Cooling units stopped working or were switched to defrost mode, temperatures rose, and shops had to withdraw chilled and frozen products from sale. The result: financial losses, extra work and food waste.
These incidents raise an important question: if your refrigeration controls are attacked, can you still rely on the monitoring connected to them?
With Reporter®, you measure and monitor temperatures independently of your refrigeration system. Dedicated sensors, a separate cellular connection and a built-in battery provide an additional layer of protection for your stock.
An independent view of your cold room
A refrigeration controller has a clear purpose: keeping the temperature at the required level. To do this, it controls components such as compressors, fans and defrost cycles.
Crodeon cold room monitoring operates independently. Dedicated temperature sensors measure what is actually happening in your cold room, freezer or refrigerated display cabinet. Reporter sends these measurements to the Crodeon Dashboard, where you can check current temperatures and historical data.
The monitoring system does not retrieve temperature readings from the refrigeration controller. It relies on a separate measurement. When the measured temperature exceeds a configured threshold, you receive an alert by text message, email or voice call.
That is equally useful when the cause is an incorrect setting, a technical fault or a door left open.
No connection to the refrigeration controls
Crodeon cold room monitoring requires no integration with your refrigeration controls. The temperature sensors connect to Reporter, without any connection to the refrigeration controller.
This monitoring setup cannot be used to change your refrigeration settings. Reporter monitors temperatures and alerts you to deviations; the refrigeration system remains responsible for controlling the cooling.
It provides an additional check, even if you already have a system for remote operation and maintenance.
A separate cellular connection, outside your shop’s network
Reporter has a built-in SIM card and transmits measurements over the cellular network. It does not need wifi, ethernet or your shop’s internet connection.
This means monitoring does not depend on your local IT infrastructure. If a cyber incident makes the shop’s network unavailable, or it is shut down as a precaution, Reporter can continue measuring and communicating through its own connection.
That independence is the advantage. A cellular connection alone does not make a system immune to cyberattacks. This is why we combine separate communication with dedicated sensors and a monitoring setup that has no connection to the refrigeration controls.
Monitoring continues during a power cut
During a power cut, you need to know what is happening to your stock. Yet this is precisely when routers and monitoring equipment without backup power can stop working.
Reporter has an internal rechargeable battery. This allows the device to keep operating and transmitting temperature measurements over the cellular network during a power cut. Battery life depends on the connected sensors and the configured measurement interval.
Your refrigeration system still needs electricity to keep cooling. The battery allows you to keep monitoring temperatures while you arrange a solution.
An alert gives you the chance to act
A temperature problem discovered when the shop opens may have gone unnoticed for hours. An alert outside opening hours gives you the opportunity to act sooner: contact a refrigeration engineer, visit the premises or move products to another cold room.
Independent monitoring does not prevent the cyberattack or technical fault itself. It helps you detect the consequences and can reduce losses. Correctly configured alarm thresholds and a clear agreement on who responds are essential.
Getting started with independent cold room monitoring
Crodeon makes that additional monitoring straightforward. Connect the temperature sensors to Reporter, position them in the areas you want to monitor and configure your alerts through the Crodeon Dashboard. No connection to the shop’s network or integration with the refrigeration controls is required.
With up to four temperature sensors per Reporter, you can monitor multiple locations. View measurements on your computer, tablet or smartphone, and export historical data for your temperature records.
Whether the cause is a cyber incident, a power cut or a technical fault, you need to know when temperatures deviate so you can act.
Give your refrigeration system an independent safeguard.
Buy your first cold room monitoring kit in our webshop →
