France accuses Iran's Revolutionary Guards of cyberattack on supermarket fridges

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot accused Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of orchestrating a cyberattack on French supermarket refrigerators on Monday, hinting at potential repercussions. The Paris prosecutor's office has requested international arrest warrants against the leader and two deputies of Shahid Kaveh, an offensive cyber unit linked to the IRGC. If verified, the alleged cyberattack would rank among the most disruptive incidents during the ongoing war with Iran since February.

The attack, disclosed on October 11, targeted the temperature controls of French supermarket fridges, causing them to overheat and potentially leading to fires and food spoilage. The affected establishments included hundreds of French supermarkets, notably Ahold Delhaize, Colruyt, ICA, and Coop. The Paris prosecutor's office stated that the incident caused significant food losses and property damage.

Cybersecurity experts suggested that the attack's simplicity stemmed from the use of outdated or obsolete supermarket refrigeration units with vulnerable firmware, making them susceptible to hacking. Iran has consistently denied involvement in any malicious cyber operations. Upon receiving the allegations, Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu directed France's National Cybersecurity Agency to initiate an investigation into the cyberattack.