Cyberattack disables refrigeration systems in hundreds of French supermarkets

Major French supermarket chains reported a coordinated cyberattack that forced refrigeration systems to enter a defrost mode, raising temperatures and leading to food spoilage and fires in hundreds of outlets. The incident affected at least 300 Intermarché and Netto stores, more than 100 Cooperative U locations and several E. Leclerc shops, while Carrefour said 80 of its supermarkets were impacted.

Cooperative U chief executive Dominique Schelcher described the attack as "unprecedented" and warned that targeting equipment essential to food preservation "is of extreme gravity." EU food and agriculture commissioner Christophe Hansen condemned the exploitation of food supplies, calling it a new reality.

French prosecutors confirmed the investigation and noted that the breach also sparked fires. BFM TV reported that hackers remotely triggered forced defrost cycles, and a source close to the case identified Danish manufacturer Danfoss’s legacy refrigeration controllers – models AK-SM800 and AK-SC355 – as the likely target. Danfoss said the affected units no longer receive software or security updates and had previously advised supermarkets to replace them.

Ahold Delhaize, which operates supermarkets in France and the United States, acknowledged a security issue that temporarily halted grocery deliveries via its mobile app. French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu’s office said the national cybersecurity agency had identified a software vulnerability, was coordinating with European partners and was working to alert other companies.

The attack underscores growing concerns about hybrid threats to critical infrastructure, a topic highlighted by President Emmanuel Macron’s recent measures to protect French systems from foreign cyber aggression. Cybersecurity consultant Antoine Hautin noted that the simultaneous compromise of hundreds of units suggests a sophisticated operation.