Adnkronos (Adnkronos) – L’ondata di attacchi informatici che nella notte tra l’1 e il 2 novembre 2026 ha portato fino a 50 gradi i banchi frigo di mezza Europa ha reso i frigoriferi hackerati un rischio reale. Dopo la Francia, colpita a ottobre, sono stati presi di mira supermercati in Belgio, Svezia, Estonia, Irlanda e anche in Sicilia. Ma cosa rischia chi possiede un elettrodomestico connesso e come può difendersi? A rispondere Achiropita Cicala di Immobiliare.it.
La tecnologia che regola a distanza i banchi frigo è arrivata anche nelle case, dove un frigorifero smart, a prima vista un semplice elettrodomestico, funziona come un piccolo computer collegato al router. Rispetto a un pc riceve molta meno attenzione sul fronte della sicurezza, specie nei modelli economici, dove le difese vengono sacrificate al prezzo.
Quando un estraneo entra nel dispositivo, le conseguenze possono essere diverse. Furto delle credenziali: il frigorifero è collegato al tuo account e, se usi la stessa password altrove, l’aggressore può provarla sulla posta o sui social; accesso al resto della rete: un elettrodomestico violato diventa una porta d’ingresso verso il tuo pc e le app bancarie; abitudini svelate ai ladri: consumi e routine programmate indicano gli orari in cui sei fuori casa; cibo a rischio: chi controlla l’app può modificare il raffreddamento e gli alimenti potrebbero perdere la catena del freddo; arruolamento in una botnet: il dispositivo entra in una rete di apparecchi infettati e usa la tua connessione per inviare spam.
Sembra fantascienza, ma i frigoriferi hackerati e arruolati in una botnet esistono da oltre dieci anni, tanto che tra fine 2013 e inizio 2014 più di 100.000 dispositivi, tra cui un frigorifero, spedirono oltre 750.000 e-mail malevole all’insaputa dei proprietari.
The story of hacked refrigerators almost always begins with an automatic internet scan, during which programs search for reachable devices still protected by their factory credentials. Once the target is identified, the attacker tries the most common combinations or exploits a known flaw, fixed by the manufacturer but never updated by the owner. At that point, the intruder does nothing to damage the device; instead, they use the app's standard functions, such as the temperature, or remain hidden to spy on the network. In homes, the weakest point is often the router, because a Wi-Fi network with a weak password allows anyone nearby to intercept the data the appliance exchanges with the cloud. In 2015, researchers demonstrated this with a smart refrigerator that, when connected to Google Calendar without verifying the security certificates, revealed the Gmail password.
In addition to the router, the manufacturer's cloud account is also sensitive, since its password can be used to control the refrigerator from anywhere. The router itself can also expose the refrigerator via UPnP, a feature enabled by default on many models that allows home appliances to automatically open a gateway to the internet, without requiring any input. This is convenient for apps, as they work without manual configuration, but it also makes the refrigerator accessible from away from home.
The good news is that protecting your kitchen from hacked refrigerators takes just a few minutes. According to experts, here are five things to do:
1) Change the factory password: default combinations are circulating online, so choose a long one and make it different for each device.
2) Create a guest network on your router: reserved for household appliances, it prevents any possible breach from reaching your PC or smartphone.
3) Enable automatic updates: each new firmware version closes vulnerabilities already discovered.
4) Turn off remote access: If you don't control your refrigerator from outside your home, also turn off your router's UPnP.
5) Check the support before buying: check how many years the manufacturer guarantees security updates. There's also some movement on support in Europe, because the Cyber Resilience Act of September 11, 2026, requires manufacturers to report exploited vulnerabilities within 24 hours.
Even the best-configured home can be betrayed by a distraction, and many intrusions stem from that. Don't buy a used smart refrigerator without resetting it: the previous owner's account could remain linked to the appliance. Don't accept the terms of use outright: they often authorize the transfer of your data to third parties. Unplug what you're not using: a connected oven whose smart functions you don't know about unnecessarily multiplies the number of access points. Don't underestimate anomalous signals: a slow connection or temperatures that fluctuate on their own can indicate an intrusion. Always lock your smartphone: without the passcode, whoever picks it up has the keys to all your devices. Your phone, after all, is the remote control for your home, and protecting it is as important as locking the front door.
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