Cyberattack on French Supermarkets Causes Food Losses and Fires
A significant cyberattack has disrupted refrigeration systems in hundreds of French supermarkets, leading to extensive food waste and investigations.
Hundreds of French supermarkets faced a cyberattack affecting refrigeration, leading to food losses.
The attack caused fridges to heat up to 50°C, prompting the disposal of perishable goods.
An investigation has been launched to assess the damage and link it to reported fire outbreaks.
A major cyberattack targeting refrigeration systems at numerous supermarkets across France has resulted in the destruction of fresh and frozen food, prompting police investigations and reports of fires. The incident, which began late Sunday night, caused temperatures in refrigerators to rise to 50 degrees Celsius for several hours, severely impacting food storage.
Intermarche, one of the affected supermarket chains, reported that between 150 to 200 of its stores were compromised, while nearly 100 outlets of Cooperative U also experienced similar issues. The attack remotely activated the defrosting processes of refrigerators, leading to significant losses of perishable goods, as confirmed by news agency AFP.
Dominique Schelcher, the CEO of Cooperative U, condemned the attack as "unprecedented," stating that targeting essential equipment for food preservation is extremely serious and unacceptable. Intermarche further indicated that all fresh and frozen products at the affected outlets would need to be discarded, highlighting the financial implications and potential insurance complications due to the incident.
France's largest supermarket chain, E Leclerc, was also reportedly impacted, with multiple stores experiencing forced defrosting due to the cyberattack. The Paris prosecutor's office has initiated an investigation into this large-scale cyber incident, aiming to determine the extent of the damage, identify affected businesses, and explore any connections between the food losses and fire outbreaks.
This cyberattack raises alarms about the security of critical infrastructure in Europe, especially as concerns about cyber threats grow. In response to increasing risks, French President Emmanuel Macron had previously ordered measures to safeguard the nation's critical infrastructure from potential hybrid attacks, particularly amid the ongoing conflict in Ukraine and its implications for European security.
