Cyberattack Forces French Grocery Stores to Discard Food

Recent cyberattacks in France led to extensive food waste as hackers targeted refrigeration systems at several grocery store chains. This attack forced multiple stores to dispose of large quantities of temperature-sensitive products.

Impact on Grocery Chains

The cyberattack affected chains such as Carrefour, Monoprix, Les Mousquetaires, E. Leclerc, and Coopérative U, according to Reuters and European officials. The CEO of Coopérative U confirmed the incident in a social media post, stating that their cold production facilities had been compromised.

“Our teams are fully mobilized, in coordination with refrigeration specialists, to restore the situation as quickly as possible. An investigation will be necessary to shed full light on this attack. Targeting equipment essential to the preservation of fresh products and the food supply of the French people is of extreme gravity,” he wrote.

The Paris prosecutor’s office described the incident as a large-scale attack affecting connected refrigerators at major food retailers. Carrefour reported that approximately 80 of its stores were impacted, while Monoprix noted that 5% of its 490 stores suffered similar issues.

Details of the Attack

Les Mousquetaires revealed that temperatures in fridges at about 150 of its locations rose to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) for over six hours. Consequently, all affected food items were discarded. The financial losses for these supermarkets are estimated to be significant, potentially exceeding 10 million euros, or around $11.2 million.

Intermarche CEO Thierry Cotillard suggested that nationwide losses could amount to tens of millions of euros within a single day. Reports indicated the hackers targeted refrigerator control systems made by Danfoss, a Danish manufacturer.

A spokesperson from Danfoss stated that most affected equipment comprised legacy products that no longer receive necessary updates. The company warned purchasers about the need to update outdated firmware.

Response and Investigation

In response, French Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu instructed the National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) to investigate. ANSSI identified a vulnerability in a software provided by the Danish company involved and has contacted them for resolution.

Christophe Hansen, the European Union’s Commissioner for Agriculture and Food, condemned the attack, calling attention to the increasing risks to food security through cybersecurity breaches.

Efforts to reach the affected companies and offices for additional comments have been ongoing. News agencies continue to monitor the situation as authorities work to secure grocery supply chains.