Key facts
- Hackers remotely overrode temperature controls on thousands of supermarket freezers and fridges across France.
- Temperatures were pushed from as low as -27C to over 50C, spoiling vast quantities of food.
- Up to 700 stores, including major chains, were affected by the cyber-attack.
- The attack exploited security flaws in refrigeration unit controllers, many running outdated firmware and default passwords.
- The Paris public prosecutor's office has opened an investigation into the incident.
- The total cost of the damage is estimated to be in the tens of millions of euros.
Hundreds of French supermarkets experienced a widespread cyber-attack last Sunday night, where hackers remotely manipulated the digital thermostats of refrigeration units, pushing temperatures to extreme levels and spoiling vast quantities of food. The attack, which affected up to 700 stores across multiple chains including Intermarché, Coopérative U, Carrefour, Leclerc, and Monoprix, saw temperatures rise from as low as -27C to over 50C, causing food to defrost and cook. Some units reached 80C, triggering fires and water damage. The Paris public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation, with cybersecurity experts suggesting the attack could be politically motivated sabotage by state actors or activists exploiting vulnerabilities in outdated refrigeration control systems. Many affected units were running outdated firmware, had not been supported by manufacturers for years, or used default passwords, allowing hackers to disable alarms and extend defrost cycles. A similar incident occurred in the US in August at military commissaries. The total cost of the damage is estimated to be in the tens of millions of euros.