Hackers remotely reprogrammed refrigeration systems at hundreds of supermarkets across France, making them blow hot air at 50°C. Temperatures inside the fridges reached 36°C, spoiling large quantities of food.
The attack happened overnight from October 11 to 12 and affected refrigeration equipment used by several major food retailers. Early estimates suggest it may have caused losses of several million euros. The circumstances remain under investigation, and available reports have not identified the attackers.
Coopérative U was among the hardest-hit retailers, with about 100 stores affected. Intermarché said roughly 150–200 of its stores were hit, forcing staff to throw away all fresh and frozen products. E.Leclerc reported that hackers targeted one of its refrigeration equipment suppliers, enabling them to remotely defrost systems in numerous stores.
French broadcaster BFM TV reported that the cyberattack targeted the refrigeration control system made by Danish company Danfoss, which many stores in France use. The Paris prosecutor’s office said fires also broke out at some locations but did not say how many.
This was an attack on food-preservation infrastructure, not a reported breach of customer or payment data. By remotely changing temperature settings, the attackers ruined fresh and frozen stock, causing substantial food waste and financial losses. Further investigation is needed to establish exactly how the attack was carried out.
