France Accuses Iran of Sabotage Cyberattack on Grocery Stores
French authorities blame Iran for a cyberattack that caused food spoilage and fires in 700 stores.
2 min read
French authorities have accused hackers linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of launching a cyberattack that disabled refrigeration systems at 700 grocery stores in early October, leading to significant food spoilage and fires. The attack, which targeted refrigeration units operated by Danish manufacturer Danfoss, was traced back to devices located in Iran, according to French cybersecurity officials.
International Probes and Sanctions Threats
The Paris prosecutor’s office has launched a formal judicial investigation into the incident, accusing the hackers of acting in the interests of a foreign power—specifically Iran. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called the attack the first large-scale cyberattack aimed at sabotage on French soil and vowed to impose European sanctions on those responsible. He also summoned Iran’s ambassador to protest the “extremely grave act,” though Iran has not yet responded.
Impact and Losses
The October 11 attack affected approximately 700 stores out of France’s 10,000 nationwide, with temperatures inside refrigerators reaching as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit. Hackers exploited a flaw in the software used to manage refrigeration systems, triggering endless defrost cycles and disabling alarm systems. This led to “significant food spoilage” and about 20 fires, with two supermarkets in eastern France suffering losses totaling $302,000.
Industry Response and Security Concerns
Les Mousquetaires, which owns the major French grocery chain Intermarché, reported that refrigerators at around 180 of its stores remained at 122 degrees Fahrenheit for six hours overnight. The company’s CEO, Thierry Cotillard, estimated the hack cost French grocery chains “tens of millions of euros” in a single day. Danfoss, the manufacturer of the affected systems, stated that most of the hacked units were “legacy” products no longer receiving software or security updates, urging retailers to upgrade for better protection.
Global Cybersecurity Warnings
Following the incident, the FBI released a joint fact sheet with four other federal agencies, warning of similar risks to American grocery stores and cold storage facilities. The agencies urged operators to remove at-risk systems from the public internet to prevent potential fire hazards and other threats.
Source: Daily Wire
