Cyber attack hits refrigeration in French supermarkets
A large-scale cyber attack targeted refrigeration software provided by the Danish firm Danfoss, causing freezers in hundreds of French stores to heat up. This resulted in massive food spoilage and some small fires, prompting a criminal investigation by Paris prosecutors.
What happened
- Earlier
Hackers target outdated refrigeration software from Danfoss [1], [2]
- Sunday night
Refrigeration systems begin to fail across several supermarket chains [3]
- Monday morning
Store managers find freezers heating up to 50C, causing food spoilage and some fires [1], [2]
- Monday afternoon
Paris prosecutors open a cyber-crime investigation into the attack [1], [2]
What you need to know
Affected stores include Intermarché, Coopérative U, E.Leclerc, Carrefour, and Monoprix [1], [3]
The attack targeted legacy software that Danfoss says was outdated and could not be updated [1], [3]
Approximately 400 stores were impacted out of roughly 15,000 in France [1]
Some fridges reached 50C (120F) for six hours, forcing the disposal of all fresh and frozen goods [1], [2]
It is not yet confirmed if there is a direct link between the French attack and security issues reported by the Dutch company Ahold Delhaize [2].
Background
The attack exploited software used by retailers to manage cold units remotely. While freezers normally have short defrost cycles, hackers forced these units to stay hot [1].
The incident has raised concerns about food security in Europe. French authorities are coordinating with European partners to see if other countries were targeted [2].
The vulnerability was found in specific Danfoss regulator systems, such as the AK-SM800 and AK-SC355, which the company had previously advised customers to update [3].
Questions people ask
How much food was lost?
While a total is not confirmed, two stores in Alsace alone reported losses of €270,000, suggesting the national total is in the millions [1].
Which companies were affected?
Major chains including Intermarché, Coopérative U, E.Leclerc, Carrefour, and Monoprix reported impacts [1], [3].
Where this came from
[1] bbc.co.uk
Fridges in French supermarkets hit by cyber attack
Preview image from bbc.co.uk
[2] theguardian.com
Hackers force French supermarket fridges to heat up to 50C in ‘unprecedented’ cyber-attack
Preview image from theguardian.com
[3] uk.finance.yahoo.com
French supermarkets suffer refrigerator shutdown after 'unprecedented' cyberattack
Preview image from uk.finance.yahoo.com
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