The time to procrastinate on cybersecurity is over. Cyber risk is no longer confined to corporate data centres. It has moved into the physical systems that keep our economy running. Recent reports from France show connected refrigeration systems were remotely manipulated across a significant number of supermarkets, causing major food losses and operational chaos. While details on the perpetrators and initial access are still emerging, this is part of a broader shift where digital attacks trigger severe real-world consequences—echoing past disruptions seen at Colonial Pipeline, major meat processors like JBS, and municipal water systems. Key takeaways: The Real Cost: Organizations ask what cybersecurity costs. A better question: What does one night of operational disruption cost—and what happens when multiple sectors are hit at once? AI as a potential amplifier: There is no evidence AI was used here, but Anthropic’s research highlights where threats are heading: smaller, autonomous models capable of navigating fragmented, poorly secured physical ecosystems at scale. Prevailing Context: In good times, an attack hurts revenue. In a crisis, it threatens food, energy, and water when society can least afford it. Cybersecurity is ultimately protecting people and essential services. The immediate priority is clear: secure supply chains, understand physical dependencies, and ensure critical systems fail safely. Stephan Mergenthaler Apisada Suwansukroj Tal Goldstein Joanna Bouckaert Giulia Moschetta Ellie Winslow Célia Chérel Axel van Amersfoort Mazen B. Nataša Perućica Chiara Barbeschi
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