A cyber attack on the refrigeration systems of hundreds of supermarkets in France took on new dimensions on Monday with the start of investigations by the Paris prosecutor's office. Hackers suddenly raised the temperatures of refrigerators and freezers, which could lead to fires and spoilage of food products.
Financial Damages and Food Security Risks
The French retail company "Les Mousquetaires," which manages the "Intermarché" and "Netto" supermarket chains, announced that the damages from this attack could amount to several million euros. Dominique Schelcher, CEO of the "Cooperative U" supermarket chain, described the attack as extremely serious and unprecedented in a post on social media platform X, stating: "Targeting essential equipment for preserving fresh products and ensuring food supply for the people of France is very serious."
The French National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) announced that it is investigating this attack at both the national and European levels to coordinate with its counterparts.
Details of the Attack and Damages Incurred
Reports indicate that around 180 "Intermarché" and "Netto" supermarkets were targeted. Some sources have reported the number of these supermarkets to be as high as 300. Additionally, at least 100 "Cooperative U" stores and 80 "Carrefour" stores were also affected. The CEO of "Intermarché" stated that this attack resulted in damages worth "tens of millions of euros" in just one day.
Two supermarkets in "Alsace" reported damages of 270,000 euros. A supermarket in "Les Hayons" in "Normandy" was severely damaged, with temperatures reaching 80 degrees Celsius, leading to the melting of some equipment. Supermarket owners reported discarding large quantities of frozen food.
The ANSSI emphasized that this attack is related to two series of refrigeration management products from the Danish company "Danfoss." This company has stated that it is aware of these incidents and emphasized that the affected units "were using outdated software."
Investigations are ongoing, and further details about how the hackers infiltrated the "Danfoss" systems have not yet been released. This attack highlights serious vulnerabilities in food supply chains and related systems that are gradually becoming connected to the internet.
