French Supermarkets Target Cyber Attack Spoils Millions in Food
French authorities are investigating a large-scale cyber attack that targeted supermarket refrigerators and freezers, spoiling millions of euros worth of food across hundreds of stores. Hackers remotely increased temperatures in refrigeration units overnight, prompting urgent security reviews across international retail supply chains.
Intermarche and National Retailers Hit by Remote Temperature Tampering
Les Mousquetaires, owner of retailer Intermarche, reported that fridges at about 150 of its stores were heated up to 50 degrees Celsius for six hours overnight, according to Australian Broadcasting Corporation (abc.net.au) reporting. Agence France-Presse noted that the widespread incident targeted at least 300 shops operating under the Intermarche or Netto brands, alongside more than 100 Cooperative U outlets and several E Leclerc locations. Reuters added that 80 Carrefour Market stores and 5 percent of Monoprix outlets also suffered spoilage.
Many major supermarkets manage refrigeration units through internet-accessible control panels. This remote access allows maintenance companies to adjust settings without visiting physical storefronts, but it also creates operational vulnerabilities.
University of Queensland Cyber Research Centre director Ryan Ko explained that attackers rarely need to target individual fridges directly. Instead, they typically gain entry through compromised credentials, vulnerable remote access services, third-party suppliers, or inadequately secured operational technology management platforms.
Outdated Firmware and Danfoss Software Vulnerabilities Under Investigation
France’s National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) identified a software vulnerability supplied by Danish company Danfoss, a source close to French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu told Reuters. Danfoss confirmed it was aware of incidents in France affecting a limited number of refrigeration management systems and stated that the affected units were running outdated firmware.
The company stated that it had long advised customers to keep supported systems updated with current firmware and to migrate legacy systems to newer solutions. In August, cybersecurity firm Claroty’s Team82 published research detailing vulnerabilities in the Danfoss AK-SM 800A controller, highlighting software updates designed to address flaws that allowed attackers to bypass authentication controls.
Macquarie University cyber security lecturer Jennifer Williams suggested that attackers likely exploited an unpatched software vulnerability.
Vulnerabilities Across Global Retail Networks
The French incident raises questions regarding whether supermarkets in other countries face similar operational risks. Professor Ko noted that a likely scenario involves attackers breaching a retailer’s corporate network or centralised refrigeration management platform before moving into operational equipment.
Dr Williams indicated that Australian supermarkets are currently on alert for copycat attacks. Major chains such as Woolworths, Coles, and Aldi use centralised systems that could make them attractive targets for cyber criminals, though larger organisations typically invest heavily in cybersecurity, monitoring, and incident response capabilities.
Independent stores like IGA could face lower exposure if they operate without wide-ranging centralised refrigeration networks. Rahat Masood, a senior lecturer in computer science at the University of New South Wales, noted that the incident reflects a broader shift toward physical infrastructure vulnerabilities as commercial buildings, transport systems, and hospitals rely increasingly on interconnected digital technologies.
Frequently Asked Questions About the French Supermarket Cyber Attack
How did the hackers manipulate the supermarket refrigerators?
Attackers exploited software vulnerabilities in refrigeration management systems supplied by Danfoss, raising internal temperatures to 50 degrees Celsius for six hours overnight and forcing stores to discard thawed products.
Which retail brands experienced the highest number of affected stores?
Intermarche and its Netto brand suffered disruptions across at least 300 shops, while Cooperative U recorded impacts at over 100 outlets alongside locations managed by E Leclerc, Carrefour Market, and Monoprix.
What financial losses do industry executives anticipate from the spoilage?
Intermarché chief executive Thierry Cotillard stated that the incident would result in tens of millions of euros in nationwide losses due to destroyed inventory and disrupted supply chains.
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