Cyberattack Disrupts French Supermarket Refrigeration

A cyber attack on refrigeration-control software affected hundreds of French supermarkets, causing fridges and freezers to heat up and putting fresh and frozen food at risk. Coopérative U said more than 100 of its stores were targeted. Intermarché and its Netto brand reported 180 affected stores, while another 100 shops were disconnected from the internet as a precaution. Carrefour, Monoprix and E.Leclerc were also among the retailers hit. The attack targeted software supplied by Danish engineering company Danfoss, which lets supermarkets manage refrigeration equipment remotely. Danfoss said the affected units were older models whose security software could not be updated, and said it had advised customers to keep supported systems current. The full extent of the incident is not known, but retailers’ figures suggest about 400 stores were affected out of roughly 15,000 in France. In some stores, units reportedly reached 50C for several hours. Retailers removed or discarded food when its safety could not be assured, and some display units remained out of service as staff worked to restock. The disruption caused substantial losses: two supermarkets in Alsace reported losses of €270,000 between them, while the nationwide cost could reach millions of euros. Some store managers encountered waves of hot air on arrival, and small fires were reported at some locations. French prosecutors have opened a cyber-crime investigation into what they described as a large-scale attack affecting refrigerators at major food retailers. European Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen condemned the incident and warned that the weaponisation of food had become a reality. Coopérative U chief executive Dominique Schelcher called for an investigation and described targeting equipment essential to the food supply as unacceptable.

A cyberattack disrupted refrigeration systems at hundreds of supermarkets in France, causing temperatures to rise and forcing stores to discard fresh and frozen food. Intermarché and its Netto brand reported that at least 300 shops were targeted, while more than 100 Cooperative U outlets and several E. Leclerc stores were also affected. Carrefour said 80 of its supermarkets were attacked, though it emphasized that most of its roughly 6,000 stores were unaffected. The incident reportedly caused fires at some locations, and Paris prosecutors have opened an investigation into the attack, the resulting food losses, and the fires. French retailers said the attackers remotely altered refrigeration equipment, with reports indicating that they triggered forced defrosting. A source close to the matter said the systems involved were made by Danish manufacturer Danfoss. The company said affected equipment included older AK-SM800 and AK-SC355 regulator systems, many of which no longer receive software or security updates. Danfoss said it had advised supermarkets to replace or update the legacy products, but did not say how many systems were compromised. France’s cybersecurity agency identified a software vulnerability and contacted the vendor. French authorities are coordinating with European counterparts to determine whether other countries or businesses may be affected and to prevent further spread. Dutch retailer Ahold Delhaize also reported a security issue in its network, which disrupted grocery deliveries through its app. The attack has heightened concerns about cyber threats to food supply and critical infrastructure. EU food and agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen condemned the incident, while Cooperative U’s chief executive called the targeting of equipment essential to preserving food unprecedented and extremely serious. Cybersecurity consultant Antoine Hautin said that modern refrigeration systems, increasingly connected through sensors and remote monitoring, could be affected at scale; he said the simultaneous impact on hundreds of units suggested a degree of sophistication. The incident comes amid broader European concern about hybrid attacks and French efforts to protect critical infrastructure.

A cyberattack disrupted refrigeration systems at more than 400 French supermarkets overnight, causing stores to discard fresh and frozen food. The affected retailers included Cooperative U, Leclerc, Les Mousquetaires and Intermarche. In some locations, fully stocked refrigerators were reportedly heated to 50 degrees Celsius for more than six hours, and prosecutors said fires had also been reported at some sites. Intermarche said affected stores had to throw away all fresh and frozen products, while Leclerc said an attack affecting a refrigeration-equipment supplier had disrupted systems in several stores. The systems were reportedly supplied by Danish company Danfoss. The French prime minister’s office said investigators had identified a vulnerability in software from a Danish company. Danfoss acknowledged incidents involving a limited number of refrigeration-management systems in France and said the units were using outdated firmware. The company said it had advised customers to update supported systems and replace legacy solutions. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu tasked France’s cybersecurity agency, ANSSI, with investigating and said it was coordinating with European counterparts because other countries could be affected. Security issues were also reported in Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands. Dutch retailer Ahold Delhaize took refrigeration systems offline as a precaution, while saying it saw no connection to the French incident. The perpetrator remains unknown, and no one has claimed responsibility. The attack has heightened concern about vulnerabilities in industrial systems and the potential for cyberattacks to threaten food supply. Against the backdrop of Russia’s war against Ukraine and concern about hybrid attacks, French President Emmanuel Macron had recently ordered measures to protect critical infrastructure. The head of Cooperative U and the EU food and agriculture commissioner condemned the targeting of food-preservation equipment and called for greater attention to food security.

A cyberattack remotely triggered the defrosting of refrigeration systems at numerous French supermarket stores, damaging fresh and frozen food stocks and prompting a police investigation. Intermarche said that 150 to 200 of its shops were targeted, while Cooperative U reported almost 100 affected outlets. France’s largest supermarket chain, E. Leclerc, was also reported by BFM TV to have been hit, though it had not immediately confirmed the report to AFP. Claims that Carrefour Market and Monoprix were affected had likewise not been confirmed by those companies. The attack reportedly began on Sunday night. Cooperative U chief executive Dominique Schelcher called it “unprecedented” and “unacceptable,” saying the company’s teams were working to restore operations. He said an investigation would be needed to establish what happened. The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed that it had opened an investigation into a large-scale cyberattack affecting refrigerators at several major food retailers. Investigators will seek to identify the victims and determine how the reported food losses and fires are linked to the incident. Intermarche condemned the resulting food waste and financial losses, but did not provide figures. It also warned that insurance policies might not cover this kind of in-store incident. A report by BFM TV said hackers had remotely changed temperatures, destroying stocks of fresh and frozen products. The incident comes amid broader European concerns about the potential damage cyberattacks can cause across sectors. The article also notes that President Emmanuel Macron recently ordered measures to protect French critical infrastructure from Russian “hybrid attacks.”

France 24 reports that major French supermarket chains said on Monday they had been hit by a cyberattack affecting refrigeration systems in hundreds of stores. The attack caused refrigerator temperatures to rise, resulting in food being spoiled and discarded. The incident also raised concerns about food security. The report is presented by France 24 journalist Selina Sykes. The headline characterizes the cyberattack as “unprecedented,” but the supplied article text does not provide further details about how the attack was carried out, which supermarket chains were affected, the quantity or value of food lost, or whether the refrigeration systems were restored. It also gives no information about who was responsible or whether authorities were investigating. The supplied material is a short video-report listing rather than a full written story, so it does not provide additional statements from retailers or officials. Its central focus is the practical impact of a cyberattack on supermarket refrigeration and the resulting concerns about the safety and security of the food supply.

A cyberattack affected connected refrigerators and freezers at hundreds of French supermarkets, according to the article. The devices were reportedly made to heat to as high as 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) overnight. The incident caused food to spoil and fires to break out, resulting in losses described as worth tens of millions of euros. The Paris prosecutor’s office characterized the attack as “large-scale” and said it was affecting connected refrigeration equipment at several major food retailers across France. The French government has launched an investigation. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu instructed France’s National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) to examine the incident, according to a person in his office. Authorities are also coordinating with counterparts in other European countries, since the attack could potentially affect retailers beyond France. At the same time, French officials are assessing whether other companies in the country may be at risk. The report does not identify the perpetrators, specify which supermarket chains were affected, or provide technical details about how the connected refrigeration systems were compromised. It also gives no breakdown of the damage beyond the reported food losses, fires, and tens of millions of euros in losses. The central focus is the attack’s impact on supermarket refrigeration and the investigation and cross-border coordination now under way.

French supermarket chains Intermarche and Cooperative U reported that a cyberattack caused refrigeration systems in stores to defrost, putting fresh and frozen food stocks at risk. The retailers said approximately 150 to 200 Intermarche shops and nearly 100 Cooperative U outlets were targeted. Paris prosecutors confirmed an investigation into a large-scale attack affecting refrigerators at several major food retailers. The probe will seek to identify victims and establish connections between the attack, reported food losses and fires. French media reported that other chains may also have been affected. BFM TV said E. Leclerc, France’s largest supermarket chain, was among them, with hackers reportedly able to trigger refrigeration systems remotely; E. Leclerc did not immediately confirm the report. A specialist retail news site also named Carrefour Market and Monoprix, but those companies had not confirmed involvement. Intermarche said affected stores would have to discard fresh and frozen products. The company condemned the resulting food waste and financial losses, and cautioned that insurance policies might not cover this kind of in-store incident. Cooperative U chief executive Dominique Schelcher called the attack “unprecedented” and “unacceptable,” saying the company’s teams were working to restore normal operations. He said an investigation was necessary to establish the full facts. The incident comes amid wider European concern about cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. The article notes that French President Emmanuel Macron ordered measures in September to protect the country’s critical infrastructure from Russian “hybrid attacks,” against the backdrop of France’s support for Ukraine.