Belgian ministers differ over possible Iran link to refrigeration hack

Belgium’s foreign minister, Maxime Prévot, has rebuked his interior minister over a possible Iranian connection to a cyberattack on refrigeration systems, saying there is not enough information to hold Iran officially responsible.

Earlier on 12 November, interior minister Bernard Quintin said Belgian security services had found indications of possible links to known Iranian actors. He said federal prosecutors were investigating those indications further, according to ANP/BELGA.

Prévot said Quintin had spoken out of turn and that accusations against other countries should go through the foreign ministry. Federal services were still exchanging information, he said.

Quintin’s reported remarks referred to possible links, rather than a finding that the Iranian state carried out the attack. Prévot’s response did not rule out Iranian involvement.

Belgian supermarkets and other businesses had to throw away food earlier in November after their refrigeration systems were hacked. Similar attacks were reported in other European countries.