French supermarket chains Intermarche and Cooperative U have been hit by a cyber-attack that caused their refrigerators to defrost, the two retailers said on Monday. The incident targeted an estimated 150 to 200 Intermarche shops and almost 100 Cooperative U outlets, forcing stores to discard fresh and frozen products.
Remote control of refrigeration systems
According to BFM TV, France’s largest supermarket chain E. Leclerc was also affected by the breach. Hackers reportedly managed to remotely trigger the forced defrosting of refrigeration systems in numerous stores. E. Leclerc did not immediately confirm the information.
Intermarche stated that branches affected by the attack would have to throw away all products that are fresh and frozen. The company condemned the resulting food waste and financial losses, though it did not provide specific figures. Intermarche also warned that insurance policies might not cover this type of in-store incident.
Dominique Schelcher, the chief executive of Cooperative U, described the attack as unprecedented. He confirmed that the breach had affected refrigeration systems since Sunday night. In a statement on X, Schelcher wrote that targeting equipment essential to the preservation of fresh products and the food supply of the French people is extremely serious and unacceptable.
Schelcher added that the company’s teams are fully mobilized to restore the situation as quickly as possible. He noted that an investigation will be necessary to shed full light on the attack.
Paris prosecutor opens investigation
Paris prosecutors confirmed the attack, which reportedly also hit other major chains. They said the incident had prompted outbreaks of fire. The office of the Paris prosecutor confirmed to AFP that an investigation has been opened into the large-scale cyber-attack affecting the refrigerators of several major food retail chains across France.
The probe will help identify the victims and establish the link with the damage they reported in terms of foodstuff losses and the outbreak of fires. The prosecutor’s office did not specify the origin of the attack or name any suspects at this time.
The incident comes against the background of growing concern over the potential havoc that can be caused in Europe in all sectors by cyber-attacks by malicious actors. President Emmanuel Macron, a strong supporter of Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion, last month ordered measures to protect France’s critical infrastructure from Russian hybrid attacks.
Source: The Guardian
