Hundreds of supermarkets across France have been hit by a coordinated cyberattack that hijacked the software controlling their refrigerators and freezers, forcing some units to heat up to 50°C (120°F) overnight and spoiling fresh and frozen food worth millions of euros. The Paris prosecutor’s office has launched a criminal investigation into the attack, which retailers confirmed on Monday, October 12.
The hackers remotely seized control of refrigeration management software supplied by the Danish engineering firm Danfoss, tricking the fridges’ normal overnight defrost cycle into running non-stop. Stores were forced to throw away all affected food to avoid health risks, the BBC and Reuters reported.
FAKTA
- Hundreds of French supermarkets were hit by a cyberattack on internet-connected refrigeration systems supplied by Danish firm Danfoss; the attack began overnight from Sunday into Monday.
- Hackers forced fridges and freezers to heat up to 50°C for hours, spoiling food worth millions of euros.
- Intermarché and its Netto discount brand were the worst hit, with between 180 and 300 stores affected; Coopérative U reported more than 100 stores hit, Carrefour 80, with Monoprix and E.Leclerc also targeted.
- The Paris prosecutor’s office opened a criminal investigation on October 12; France’s cybersecurity agency ANSSI has been ordered to investigate the vulnerability in the Danfoss software.
- EU Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen condemned the hack, warning that “the weaponisation of food has become a reality.”
French supermarkets cyberattack spoils food worth millions
The scale of the French supermarkets cyberattack is still emerging, but figures supplied by individual chains suggest about 400 to 500 stores were affected out of roughly 15,000 across France. Intermarché, owned by the Mousquetaires Group, said affected fridges had heated up to 50°C for six hours overnight into Monday, and the retailer discarded all affected products, according to Reuters.
Coopérative U said more than 100 of its supermarkets were targeted. Its chief executive called the attack “extremely serious and unprecedented.” Carrefour said fridges in 80 of its stores were hacked, while Monoprix said about 5% of its more than 400 stores had been hit, with food removed from sale wherever its condition could not be guaranteed.
Danfoss software and an outdated-system vulnerability
The attack targeted refrigeration controllers supplied by Danfoss, which retailers use to manage their cold units remotely. According to French broadcaster BFMTV, the hackers exploited the defrost feature — normally a short overnight cycle that slightly raises temperatures — and ordered the units to heat up and stay hot.
Danfoss said the affected cold units were older models whose security software could not be updated against a risk the company had already identified, adding that it had “long advised” businesses to keep supported refrigeration systems up to date. A source close to Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu said France’s National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) had identified a vulnerability in the Danfoss software, and the agency has been ordered to investigate.
Criminal probe and a warning on food security
The Paris prosecutor’s office announced on October 12 that it had opened an investigation into the large-scale attack affecting several major food retailers. In Alsace, two supermarkets reportedly lost a combined €270,000 in stock, and nationwide losses could reach several million euros, BFMTV reported.
EU Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen condemned the hack in a post on X, writing: “Food security requires more attention at all levels. Because the weaponisation of food has become a reality.” In a statement to the BBC, the Mousquetaires Group said some fresh and frozen food display units remained out of service on Monday afternoon, but staff were working to restock shelves “as soon as possible.”
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