Cyberattack on French Supermarkets Leads to Major Food Losses
A sophisticated cyberattack has struck multiple French supermarkets, forcing them to discard vast quantities of temperature-sensitive products after hackers manipulated refrigerator controls to raise temperatures to 122°F. This incident has affected several major chains, including Carrefour, Monoprix, Les Mousquetaires, E. Leclerc, and Coopérative U.
The CEO of Coopérative U confirmed the attack via a post on X, stating that the cold production facilities of several stores in their network were compromised. He emphasized the seriousness of the situation, noting that targeting equipment essential for preserving fresh products is unprecedented and unacceptable.
The Paris prosecutor's office has classified the incident as a large-scale cyberattack impacting connected refrigeration systems across major food retailers in France. Carrefour reported that approximately 80 of its stores were affected, while Monoprix indicated that about 5% of its locations faced similar issues. Les Mousquetaires disclosed that fridges in around 150 of its stores were heated for six hours, leading to the disposal of all affected food items.
Financial Impact of the Cyberattack
Financial estimates regarding the losses from this attack are still being calculated, but experts suggest that the total could exceed 10 million euros, roughly $11.2 million. Intermarche's CEO stated that the attack likely resulted in losses amounting to tens of millions of euros nationwide in just one day.
Intelligence Reviewed
The hackers reportedly targeted refrigerator control systems manufactured by Danfoss, which acknowledged that many affected units were legacy products lacking recent software or security updates. French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu has directed the National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) to investigate the breach, which has been linked to vulnerabilities in software provided by Danfoss.
Christophe Hansen, the European Union's Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, condemned the attack, highlighting the critical importance of food security and the need for heightened attention to such threats. He characterized the weaponization of food as a concerning reality that must be addressed at all levels of governance.
