France vows tough response to freezer cyberattack blamed on Iran

France has accused Iran of orchestrating recent cyberattacks targeting supermarket refrigerators, causing millions in damage. Over 700 stores in France were affected in October, with similar incidents occurring in other European nations. French authorities assert they will respond using all available means. On October 11 and 12, cyberattacks took control of refrigeration controllers in French stores, raising temperatures to 50 degrees Celsius, leading to spoiled food and fires. The financial impact, primarily from food losses, is estimated in the tens of millions of euros.

Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed Iran's Revolutionary Guards, specifically the Shahid Kaveh unit, as responsible during a press briefing following a G7 ministerial meeting in Paris. This group, known for its offensive cyber capabilities, used the Shahid Kaveh name through various online personas. French intelligence identified their tactics, including reconnaissance of Schneider Electric equipment at energy and water facilities, which utilized the Modbus protocol.

They also found traces of FOFA, a tool employed by the unit. French authorities discovered Farsi language elements in the attack infrastructure and reported CyberbanNews, a news outlet linked to the group, had publicized the attacks early on October 13.

The disruption extended to France's national blood service through a refrigeration supplier, though staff were alerted by alarms, preventing any biological materials from being lost. French prosecutors initiated a judicial investigation, requesting international arrest warrants against members of Shahid Kaveh, leading to potential criminal proceedings alongside diplomatic responses.

France summoned Iran's ambassador on November 10 and is advocating for EU sanctions, while Barrot has left room for additional undisclosed measures. Despite earlier reports attributing the attacks to Russia-aligned hacking groups, French attribution firmly places the blame on Iran.