France blames Iranian IRGC for supermarket freezer cyberattacks

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced that Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was responsible for cyberattacks that hijacked supermarket refrigeration systems in France.

Hackers breached remote-management software provided by Danish engineering firm Danfoss to raise temperatures in commercial fridges and freezers to 50°C (122°F), spoiling fresh and frozen goods.

The October 11 breach affected over 100 Coopérative U stores, roughly 180 Intermarché and Netto locations, and branches belonging to Carrefour, Monoprix, and E.Leclerc.

Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau opened an investigation naming the 'Shahid Kaveh' cyber group, which is tied to the IRGC's electronic and cyber warfare center.

A second wave of attacks struck more than 100 stores across Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, and Ireland.

The French government stated it will pursue European-level sanctions against those behind the attack.

Iranian officials have not issued a public response to the allegations.

The incident highlights the vulnerability of critical civilian infrastructure to cyberattacks on building systems.