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Mon, 12 Oct 2026

Mon, 12 Oct 2026 Fridges in French supermarkets hit by cyber attack

Hundreds of stores were targeted by the overnight hack, which spoiled fresh and frozen food estimated to be worth millions of euros.

* Hundreds of French supermarkets were affected by a cyber attack that caused their fridges and freezers to heat up, spoiling fresh and frozen food worth millions of euros.
* The hackers gained control of software provided by Danish firm Danfoss, which allows retailers to manage cold units remotely.
* About 400 stores out of 15,000 in France were affected, with major chains such as Carrefour, Monoprix, E.Leclerc, and Intermarché hit by the attack.
* In some cases, fridges heated up to 50C (120F) overnight, causing food to spoil and leading to losses estimated at €270,000 between two supermarkets in the Alsace region.
* French prosecutors have launched a cyber-crime investigation into the incident.
* European Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen condemned the hack, saying it highlighted the importance of food security and the need for attention at all levels.
* The attack is believed to have targeted older models of cold units whose security software could not be updated to ward off identified risks.