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Fridge hack costing millions and sparking fires stemmed from poor…

Attackers exploited outdated refrigeration devices exposed to the Internet across 700 supermarkets, causing millions in damage and fires; the yogurt was reportedly unavailable for comment.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on BBN Tonight
Published 6:47 PM ET, Wednesday, October 14, 2026

Photo: Sergey Galyonkin from Berlin, Germany · CC BY-SA 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 2.0

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from BBN Tonight at 6:47 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are Ars Technica's, the jokes are ours.

At a glance

First reported by Ars Technica: “Fridge hack costing millions and sparking fires stemmed from poor security”.
Covered on BBN on Wednesday, October 14, 2026, at 6:47 PM ET on BBN Tonight, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

Ars TechnicaFridge hack costing millions and sparking fires stemmed from poor security

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentHackers got into refrigeration systems at seven hundred supermarkets, costing millions and even sparking fires, because old devices were left exposed to the open internet.

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