CISA, FBI, HHS, USDA, and DOT Urge Critical Infrastructure To Strengthen Industrial Refrigeration and Cold Chain Monitoring Systems Cybersecurity

CISA, FBI, HHS, USDA, and DOT Urge Critical Infrastructure To Strengthen Industrial Refrigeration and Cold Chain Monitoring Systems Cybersecurity

Recommended mitigations reduce risk to exploitation of vulnerabilities and security weaknesses

Critical Infrastructure Security and Resilience

WASHINGTON – Today, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Health and Human Services (HHS), U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), and the Department of Transportation (DOT) published a fact sheet that warns organizations of ongoing cyber threat activity targeting industrial refrigeration and cold chain monitoring systems. Critical infrastructure sectors that widely use these systems include Healthcare and Public Health, Chemical, Food and Agriculture, and Transportation Systems.

Globally, malicious cyber actors are targeting vulnerabilities and weaknesses in unpatched or internet-accessible electronic temperature controllers and commercial refrigeration controllers in retail grocery and cold storage facilities. If successfully exploited, the actors could change the temperature and possibly cause physical impacts such as fire hazards, loss of inventory and changes to the service life of the system. The fact sheet provides recommended best practices and protections against this threat activity such as:

Remove control system devices and/or systems from the internet.

Change default passwords and strengthen passwords.

Apply patches and keep devices and systems updated.

Identify, retire, and replace legacy devices that the vendor no longer supports.

“In close collaboration with our government, industry and international partners, CISA is actively tracking this threat activity,” said CISA Acting Executive Assistant Director for Cybersecurity Chris Butera . “Every organization that depends on refrigeration and monitoring systems should assume it could be a target. We urge you to review the joint fact sheet and take action now to close known security gaps.”

“Industrial refrigeration and cold-chain monitoring systems protect food, medicine, and other temperature-sensitive products, making them attractive targets for malicious cyber actors,” said FBI Cyber Branch Operations Director Brett Leatherman . “We are seeing these systems targeted across critical infrastructure sectors globally, putting inventory and equipment at risk. This fact sheet provides clear, practical steps that network defenders can take to reduce that risk and protect operations. The FBI urges every organization that relies on these systems to review our guidance, implement the recommended mitigations, and report any suspicious activity to the FBI.”

For more information on how to protect against cyber threats, visit Cybersecurity Best Practices .

As the nation’s cyber defense agency and national coordinator for critical infrastructure security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency leads the national effort to manage, uncover, and reduce risk to our digital and physical infrastructure Americans rely on every hour of every day.

Visit CISA.gov for more information and follow us on X , Facebook , LinkedIn , Instagram .

CISA Joins Australia and Others to Publish Guidance to Isolate Operational Technology and Enabling Systems in Critical Infrastructure

CISA’s 2025 Year in Review: Driving Security and Resilience Across Critical Infrastructure

CISA, NSA, FBI and International Cyber Authorities Issue Cybersecurity Advisory to Protect Managed Service Providers (MSP) and Customers

CISA, FBI, NSA, and International Partners Issue Advisory on Demonstrated Threats and Capabilities of Russian State-Sponsored and Cyber Criminal Actors