France says Iranian hackers sabotaged supermarket refrigerators
The French government has blamed an Iranian military hacking unit for cyberattacks that disrupted refrigeration systems at roughly 700 grocery stores and other retail locations last month, causing food losses and at least 15 fires. Why it matters: The attacks underscore how Iranian government hackers are moving beyond stealing data and disrupting websites to manipulating the physical equipment…
French authorities have accused an Iranian military cyber unit, named Shahid Kaveh, of launching a sophisticated attack that disabled refrigeration systems at approximately 700 supermarkets and other retail outlets across the country in mid-October. This breach resulted in significant food spoilage, estimated in tens of millions of euros, as well as at least fifteen fires. This marks Iran's first known instance of using cyberattacks solely for sabotage purposes on French soil.
According to France's Ministry of Europe and Foreign Affairs, the attacks were specifically traced to Shahid Kaveh, a hacking unit affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The French Cyber Crisis Coordination Center confirmed the attribution, detailing how the hackers exploited refrigeration equipment to elevate temperatures, thereby triggering the costly damages. Beyond the supermarkets, the cyber campaign also targeted smaller hydroelectric power facilities, although with less severe consequences.
French intelligence agencies have linked Shahid Kaveh to various online personas, such as CyberAveng3rs and Soldiers of Solomon, which have publicly claimed responsibility for the group's actions. The evidence indicates that the infrastructure utilized in the refrigeration sabotage was also employed in scanning industrial machinery, a technique previously associated with Shahid Kaveh.
Traces of the Farsi language were found in the attack infrastructure, and a propaganda platform linked to the unit was discovered promoting the incident.
This incident highlights Iran's evolving cyber threat landscape, where the focus has shifted from mere data theft and website disruption to the manipulation of physical infrastructure essential for public services. Iran has a documented history of targeting industrial equipment internationally, including U.S. water systems and Israeli refrigeration units.
French intelligence previously attributed Shahid Kaveh to attacks on Israeli refrigeration equipment earlier this year and a 2023 campaign aimed at industrial controllers produced by Unitronics.
In response to these events, France intends to summon Iran's ambassador and advocate for the imposition of additional European Union sanctions against individuals and entities involved in these cyber operations.
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