A major cyberattack targeting refrigeration systems at hundreds of supermarkets across France has disrupted food storage, damaged fresh and frozen products, and reportedly caused fires at several stores. The incident has raised serious concerns about the security of internet-connected equipment used in essential services and the food supply chain.
Several leading French retailers, including Intermarche, Cooperative U, E Leclerc, Carrefour and Monoprix, confirmed on Monday that their stores had been affected by what they described as an unprecedented attack. In some locations, refrigeration temperatures reportedly climbed as high as 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), leaving food stocks at risk.
According to reports from the retailers, at least 300 Intermarche and Netto stores were targeted, alongside more than 100 Cooperative U outlets. Carrefour reported disruptions at approximately 80 supermarkets, while Monoprix said around 5 percent of its nearly 490 stores were affected. E Leclerc also confirmed that several locations had been targeted.
The Paris prosecutor’s office described the incident as a large-scale cyberattack involving connected refrigeration equipment at several major supermarket chains. Authorities said the attack had resulted in food losses and fires at some locations.
French Authorities Launch Investigation
The seriousness of the incident prompted French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to direct the National Cybersecurity Agency of France, known as ANSSI, to investigate the attack.
A source in the prime minister’s office told Reuters that France was also coordinating with European partners to determine whether the incident had affected other countries. Authorities were assessing the possibility of similar vulnerabilities in other French businesses.
The investigation is expected to examine how the attackers gained access to the refrigeration systems, which software vulnerabilities may have been exploited and whether additional retailers remain at risk.
Although the total financial damage has not yet been established, the losses are expected to be substantial.
Intermarche chief executive Thierry Cotillard told French broadcaster BFM TV that the incident could cause losses amounting to tens of millions of euros nationwide in a single day.
Hackers Allegedly Triggered Refrigeration Defrosting
According to BFM TV, the attackers remotely activated the forced-defrost function in refrigeration systems at numerous stores. This caused temperatures to rise, threatening the safety of chilled and frozen products.
Intermarche said affected outlets would need to discard fresh and frozen goods exposed to unsafe conditions. Such losses could affect not only supermarket finances but also food availability and supply-chain operations.
Dominique Schelcher, chief executive of Cooperative U, said the disruption had been affecting refrigeration equipment since Sunday night.
In a statement posted on X, Schelcher condemned the targeting of equipment essential to preserving fresh food and maintaining the country's food supply. He described the incident as extremely serious and unacceptable.
The company said its teams were working to restore normal operations while an investigation was needed to establish exactly what happened.
Vulnerabilities in Internet-Connected Equipment
Investigators are examining a possible weakness in refrigeration management software supplied by Danish engineering company Danfoss.
According to a source close to the prime minister, ANSSI had identified a vulnerability involving the software. Danfoss acknowledged reports of incidents in France affecting a limited number of refrigeration management systems.
The company said the affected equipment was running outdated firmware. It added that customers had long been advised to install software updates and replace older equipment where necessary.
Supermarket refrigeration systems often rely on central control panels that manage multiple fridges and freezers throughout a store. Internet connectivity allows technicians and maintenance providers to monitor equipment and make adjustments remotely.
However, this convenience can create security risks when systems are not properly updated or protected. If attackers exploit a vulnerability, they may be able to access connected equipment and manipulate its functions.
Cybersecurity company Claroty had previously published research on August 9 highlighting vulnerabilities in Danfoss systems that could potentially allow attackers to bypass authentication. Investigators will need to establish whether those weaknesses were connected to the supermarket incidents.
France’s retail federation, known as the FCD, has called on Danfoss to provide full transparency about the problem. The federation also reported that some affected stores had resumed operations.
Possible Impact Beyond France
Cybersecurity specialist Felix Aime of Sekoia Threat Detection and Research told Reuters that Spain, Portugal, Poland, Germany and Belgium had also been affected. The reports raised the possibility that the incident could extend beyond France, although the full international impact remained unclear.
Cybersecurity analyst Steven Lachance told Al Jazeera that attacks of this type were not entirely new, but the scale of the disruption was unusual.
He warned that internet-connected infrastructure could be manipulated when attackers discover weaknesses in equipment exposed to online access.
Lachance described the incident as a global wake-up call, arguing that stronger national and international measures were needed to prevent similar attacks.
He also cautioned that the consequences of future cyberattacks could be more severe if criminals targeted critical infrastructure such as energy networks or hospitals.
The supermarket incident demonstrates how a digital security weakness can quickly create real-world damage. As businesses increasingly depend on connected equipment, keeping software updated, restricting remote access and strengthening cybersecurity protections will be essential to preventing further disruptions.
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