A disastrous day for French supermarkets after massive cyberattack targets refrigeration systems

A cyberattack targeting refrigeration software at hundreds of French supermarkets caused freezers and cold-storage rooms to overheat overnight between October 11 and 12. According to MyJoyOnline Ghana, hackers gained control of software provided by the Danish firm Danfoss to force units to stay hot, rather than performing a normal overnight defrost. CBC News reports that the temperature spikes caused fires and spoiled food, while Semafor states temperatures reached more than 122°F (50°C) in some instances.

The attack affected several major retailers. MyJoyOnline Ghana reports that Coopérative U saw over 100 of its supermarkets hit, while 180 stores from Intermarché and Netto were affected; an Intermarché spokesman noted another 100 shops were disconnected from the internet to prevent further damage. Other retailers impacted include Carrefour, Monoprix, and E.Leclerc. Semafor reports the attack affected at least 400 supermarkets, resulting in millions of dollars' worth of food being discarded.

The vulnerability is linked to Danfoss software used to manage cold units remotely, and the company stated the affected units were older models. Le Monde English reports that France’s cybercrime office has opened an investigation into the incident. While the attack hit French stores, Semafor notes a Dutch supermarket chain also reported network outages at distribution centers on Monday, with a source suggesting there may be significant gaps on shelves in the coming days.

Brief written by urgent.news from Le Monde English, Semafor, CBC News, MyJoyOnline Ghana, France 24 — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.