Hackers Heat French Supermarket Fridges, Sparking Fires and Spoiling Food

Hackers infiltrated the refrigeration systems of numerous French supermarkets, causing numerous incidents where fridges and freezers were heated to extreme temperatures, spurring food waste and even igniting fires. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu convened a cybersecurity probe into the hacks, with comparable incidents surfacing in Spain, Portugal, Poland, Germany, and Belgium.

In France, Carrefour's 80 stores, Monoprix's 5% of locations, and Les Mousquetaires' 150 Intermarche stores were impacted. The supermarkets' cold aisles, managed by control panels accessible via the internet, presented a vulnerability. ANSSI pinpointed a software flaw from Danish firm Danfoss, which stated it was aware of the French incidents affecting a limited number of refrigeration systems.

Danfoss admitted its outdated firmware was the culprit, urging customers to update their systems or switch to newer technology. Meanwhile, cybersecurity outfit Claroty's Team82 disclosed earlier that Danfoss AK-SM 800A controllers had software updates to thwart attacks exploiting authentication bypass.