Hundreds of supermarkets across France have been targeted in a major cyberattack that caused refrigerators and freezers to heat up, destroying fresh and frozen food potentially worth millions of euros, according to the BBC.
Hackers reportedly gained control of software regulating refrigeration temperatures, forcing some units to reach 50°C overnight.
Around 400 supermarkets were affected, including stores operated by major French retailers Carrefour, Intermarché, Netto, Monoprix and Coopérative U.
Intermarché reported that some of its refrigeration units remained at temperatures as high as 50°C for six hours, forcing the company to discard affected food to prevent health risks.
The attack targeted refrigeration management software supplied by Danish engineering company Danfoss, which allows supermarkets to remotely control their cooling systems.
Danfoss said the affected equipment consisted of older models whose security software could no longer be updated to address identified vulnerabilities.
Several supermarkets reported significant losses, with two stores in the Alsace region alone suffering damage estimated at €270,000.
The full financial impact remains unclear, although nationwide losses could run into millions of euros.
Some stores also reported small fires, while supermarket employees arriving for work discovered unusually high temperatures around their refrigeration units.
French prosecutors have launched a cybercrime investigation into the attack, describing it as a large-scale incident affecting several major food retail chains.
European Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen condemned the incident, warning that food security required greater attention as the weaponisation of food had become a reality.
Supermarket operators are working with refrigeration specialists to restore affected systems and replace spoiled products.
The incident has raised fresh concerns about cybersecurity vulnerabilities in essential infrastructure, particularly systems connected to the internet. (Newswire)