An unprecedented, large-scale cyberattack targeted hundreds of supermarkets across France overnight from October 11 to 12. Hackers remotely altered the temperatures of refrigeration systems, causing fridges and freezers to overheat and defrost. This disruption led to the spoilage of tons of fresh and frozen food, raising concerns about food security across Europe.
Major retailers were impacted, with Finance Minister Roland Lescure reporting that approximately 700 of the country's 10,000 supermarkets were affected. Impacted chains include Intermarché, with 150-200 shops targeted, and Coopérative U, with almost 100 outlets hit. The Les Mousquetaires group reported around 300 impacted stores, while Carrefour saw 80 supermarkets affected and Monoprix reported that 5 percent of its stores were hit. E.Leclerc was also among the affected chains.
The attack exploited outdated refrigeration control systems and software made by the Danish company Danfoss that no longer received security updates. In some instances, temperatures shot up to 50 degrees Celsius (122°F). This extreme overheating caused some stores to experience outbreaks of fire and forced the disposal of large quantities of merchandise. Financial losses are estimated to reach several million euros.
French authorities, including the Paris prosecutor and the cybercrime office, have opened investigations to identify those responsible for the hack.