Former FBI Agent Warns Cyberattacks Could Disrupt Food Supplies
A former FBI special agent is warning that cyberattacks on systems tied to food and other essentials could threaten Americans’ sense of security. The concern has grown after refrigeration problems affected military commissaries in the U.S. and supermarkets in parts of Europe.
“Every human being has to eat,” said Nicole Parker, pointing to grocery stores as a possible target. She said an attack on critical infrastructure could disrupt daily life without the use of conventional weapons.
In August, the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Cyber Field Office began working with the Defense Commissary Agency and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service to investigate refrigeration failures at military commissaries. The Army CID said investigators are also coordinating with French law enforcement to examine whether the U.S. incidents could be connected to refrigeration outages in Europe.
Officials have not established that a cyberattack caused the commissary problems. At least six stores on military installations reported refrigeration issues in late August. Fort Huachuca in Arizona said frozen food had spoiled, while Fort Irwin in California restricted sales to dry goods. Other affected sites included F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming, Naval Station Newport in Rhode Island, Columbus Air Force Base in Mississippi, and Travis Air Force Base in California.
In one reported incident, refrigeration units were set to warmer temperatures overnight rather than simply being switched off. Separately, supermarket refrigeration systems in Sweden, Belgium and Luxembourg were disrupted on a Monday, leading some retailers to throw away food. Temperatures in some systems reportedly climbed to 122 degrees Fahrenheit.
The people responsible for the European incidents had not been identified. Parker cautioned against assuming who was behind them, while warning that similar disruptions could occur in the United States.
She described the threat as a form of “asymmetrical warfare,” capable of unsettling people by interfering with everyday necessities. The psychological effects, she said, can be significant, though she expressed confidence that Americans would withstand such disruptions.
Parker said preparedness should involve more than law enforcement. Mayors, city managers and council members need to understand local vulnerabilities and have plans to support residents if essential services are interrupted.
She also encouraged households to keep a reasonable supply of food, water and necessary medication, store important documents together, and discuss how family members would stay in touch during a power outage. A battery-powered AM radio could also be useful. Parker said this did not mean people should rush out and empty store shelves; practical preparation can be worked into ordinary routines.
For Parker, who lives in Florida, preparing for possible disruptions is familiar. She compared it to getting ready for hurricanes: the basic preparations are much the same.
