France's Supermarkets Suffer Major Losses From Cyberattack on Refrigeration

WHO:

CNN - French Economy Minister Roland Lescure described the cyberattack as a “wake-up call for everyone” in an address to lawmakers.

Fox News - Hackers targeted Danfoss refrigerator controls across French supermarkets.

ABC News Business - The cyberattack affected 700 supermarkets in France.

WHAT:

CNN - The cyberattack caused display cabinets to peak at 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) for around six hours overnight, with some units even catching fire.

CNN - The Paris prosecutors’ office has taken up the case under its national jurisdiction regarding the large-scale cyberattack affecting connected refrigerators of several major food retailers across France.

CNN - The investigation will “identify the victims and establish the link between the attacks and the damage they reported, in terms of food spoilage and fires,” according to a statement from the Paris prosecutors’ office.

CNN - The Danish firm, or the fridge installers, may have erroneously put the controllers on the public internet “for anyone to see,” said Munro, a partner at the British cybersecurity organization, Pen Test Partners.

CNN - Earlier this year, the cybersecurity company Claroty pointed out vulnerabilities in the controllers at the center of the attack – Danfoss AK-SM 800A – citing a mechanism that “could be abused” to “bypass normal authentication,” in a report published early August.

CNN - The attack sparked a wave of criticism from European officials, just weeks after French President Emmanuel Macron instructed lawmakers to draft a new protection plan against the growing threat of cyberattacks in the country, and beyond.

CNN - The EU Commissioner for Agriculture and Food Chrisophe Hansen warned that food security requires more attention at all levels, stating, “The weaponization of food has become a reality.”

CNN - Lescure, the French Economy Minister, allayed fears of the risk of food shortages in the country but called on providers to bolster their cybersecurity measures.

CNN - Danfoss acknowledged that many of the impacted units “no longer receive software or security updates” or were “running outdated software.”

CNN - The CEO of Coopérative U reported that about 80 of their stores were affected by the cyberattack.

CNN - French President Emmanuel Macron instructed lawmakers to draft a new protection plan against the growing threat of cyberattacks in the country.

CNN - The cyberattack caused display cabinets to peak at 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) for around six hours overnight, with some units even catching fire.

CNN - As many as 80 supermarkets belonging to Carrefour were impacted, along with 5% of Monoprix’s 490 stores, and fridges at 150 shops of retail group Les Mousquetaires were targeted.

NBC News World - The cyberattack impacted refrigeration systems in several other European countries in addition to France.

NBC News World - Mountains of fresh and frozen food had to be thrown out after hackers cranked the temperature of refrigerators in supermarkets across France.

NBC News World - Experts say the cyberattack could signal a new cybersecurity threat that could impact Americans as well.

NBC News World - Company executives stated that the cyberattack could lead to tens of millions of dollars in losses for the affected supermarkets.

Entrepreneur - The cyberattack affected 400 French supermarkets, forcing grocers to discard food.

Fox News - Supermarket chains like Carrefour and Monoprix were forced to discard massive food stocks due to the cyberattack.

ABC News Business - The cyberattacks caused refrigeration systems to overheat at hundreds of stores.

WHERE:

ABC News Business - The incident occurred in supermarkets across France.

WHY:

CNN - The investigation aims to identify the victims and establish the link between the attacks and the reported damage, including food spoilage and fires.

CNN - The investigation into the cyberattack will “identify the victims and establish the link between the attacks and the damage they reported, in terms of food spoilage and fires.”

Entrepreneur - Nobody has claimed responsibility for the cyberattack.

Entrepreneur - Many of the targeted refrigeration systems were running outdated software.

Fox News - The cyberattack specifically targeted refrigeration systems, leading to significant losses for the supermarkets.

HOW:

CNN - Before the cyberattack, more than 1,700 instances of the affected Danfoss software were exposed to the internet in France, providing a broad potential target pool for hackers.

CNN - The hackers remotely connected to refrigeration equipment and switched on defrost cycles, leading to significant food spoilage.

Fox News - The attack involved hackers compromising Danfoss refrigerator controls.

(UPDATED October 14, 2026 19:04 UTC)

A large-scale cyberattack has affected connected refrigerators of several major food retailers across France, causing display cabinets to reach temperatures of 50 degrees Celsius for about six hours, with some units even catching fire. The Paris prosecutors’ office is now investigating the incident to identify victims and assess the damage related to food spoilage and fires, while concerns have been raised about vulnerabilities in the refrigerator controllers that may have been exposed online. French Economy Minister Lescure has reassured the public about the risk of food shortages but urged providers to enhance their cybersecurity measures in light of this incident.

(UPDATED October 14, 2026 16:02 UTC)

The Paris prosecutors’ office has launched an investigation into a large-scale cyberattack that impacted connected refrigerators at several major food retailers across France, with the aim of identifying victims and linking the attacks to reported damages like food spoilage and fires. Danfoss has acknowledged that many of the affected units are running outdated software and no longer receive necessary updates, while the CEO of Coopérative U reported that around 80 of their stores were hit by the attack. In response to this growing threat, French President Emmanuel Macron has instructed lawmakers to draft a new protection plan against cyberattacks in the country.

(UPDATED October 14, 2026 11:58 UTC)

A significant cyberattack has impacted the French retail sector, with Economy Minister Roland Lescure calling it a “wake-up call for everyone” during a recent address to lawmakers. The attack caused display cabinets to heat up to 50 degrees Celsius for about six hours, resulting in food spoilage and even fires at some locations, affecting around 80 Carrefour supermarkets and 5% of Monoprix’s stores. Investigators are now working to identify the victims and link the attacks to the reported damages, which include the targeting of refrigeration equipment that was remotely accessed by hackers.

(UPDATED October 14, 2026 10:00 UTC)

A significant cyberattack has affected refrigeration systems in multiple European countries, including France. As of now, no one has stepped forward to claim responsibility for this incident. Authorities are investigating the situation to determine the full extent of the impact.

(UPDATED October 14, 2026 02:04 UTC)

A significant cyberattack has led to mountains of fresh and frozen food being discarded after hackers manipulated the temperatures of refrigerators in supermarkets across France. Experts warn that this incident could indicate a new cybersecurity threat that may also affect Americans in the near future. As the situation unfolds, the implications for food safety and security are becoming increasingly concerning.

(UPDATED October 14, 2026 00:01 UTC)

NBC News reports that company executives have warned a recent cyberattack could result in losses amounting to tens of millions of dollars for the affected supermarkets. The impact of this incident is significant, raising concerns about the security of digital systems in the retail sector. As the situation develops, more details are expected to emerge regarding the full extent of the damage.

(UPDATED October 13, 2026 20:01 UTC)

A significant cyberattack has impacted 400 French supermarkets, leading to the disposal of food due to compromised refrigeration systems. The attack highlights vulnerabilities, as many of these systems were operating on outdated software. This incident underscores the importance of keeping technology up to date to prevent such disruptions in the future.

(UPDATED October 13, 2026 19:07 UTC)

A significant cyberattack has targeted Danfoss refrigerator controls, affecting 700 supermarkets across France, including major chains like Carrefour and Monoprix. As a result, these stores were forced to discard massive stocks of food due to overheating refrigeration systems. The hackers' actions have led to substantial losses for the supermarkets involved, highlighting the vulnerability of critical infrastructure.