Cyberattack hits 700 French supermarkets Refrigeration controllers hacked to 50 degrees Celsius

A cyberattack targeting refrigeration systems affected about 700 supermarkets across France, including Intermarché, Coopérative U, Carrefour, and Monoprix stores.

Hackers compromised outdated firmware on legacy controllers made by Danish manufacturer Danfoss, remotely raising temperatures to 50 degrees Celsius.

The shutdown spoiled fresh vegetables, meat, and frozen food valued at millions of euros, led to minor fires in some locations, and prompted staff to discard affected items for health and safety reasons.

Authorities classified the incident as intentional sabotage of operational technology systems, noting no ransom or financial demands were made.

The Paris Prosecutor's Office ordered a cybercrime investigation, and the National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) is coordinating with European authorities.

Residents and grocery shoppers in France face potential supply disruptions and spoiled inventory across major retail chains following targeted sabotage on refrigeration systems.