Cyberattack disrupts refrigeration systems at French supermarkets

The attack, which took place overnight on 11–12 October, compromised cold-chain control software at several major food retailers. French supermarket group Les Mousquetaires, which operates Intermarché stores, reported that around 150 stores were affected, with refrigeration temperatures reportedly rising to 50°C for approximately six hours after the attackers remotely reprogrammed cooling regulators to force a continuous defrost cycle. The company said affected food had been discarded as a precaution. Cooperative U also confirmed that stores in its network had been targeted.

France’s National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) has been tasked with investigating the incident. According to Reuters, authorities are examining a vulnerability in software supplied by Danish manufacturer, Danfoss.

Danfoss confirmed that it was aware of incidents in France affecting a limited number of refrigeration management systems. The company said the affected units were running outdated firmware and reiterated its recommendation that customers keep supported systems updated with the latest firmware and migrate legacy systems to current-generation solutions.

The investigation is ongoing, and further details about the attack, including its precise technical cause and the full extent of its impact, have not yet been established publicly.