A Mass Fridge Hack in France, and a Password the Calendar Supplies

Ars Technica reports that a mass hack of refrigeration systems at an estimated 700 supermarkets throughout France caused them to suddenly malfunction.

The same reporting flags a security detail that is hard to shrug off: until recently, Danfoss controllers used a credential that changes each day — and the password is generated by the publicly available firmware based on the date. A password the calendar and a downloadable firmware can produce for you is not really protecting anything. The only thing standing between a stranger and the equipment is that they have to read the manual.