MULTIPLE prominent French supermarket chains have reportedly fallen victim to a large-scale cyberattack targeting internet-connected refrigeration management systems. The intruders allegedly gained remote access to these systems and issued forced defrost commands, driving chillers and freezers to spike in temperature. Temperatures reportedly reached as high as 50 degrees Celsius in some cases, resulting in widespread spoilage of fresh produce and frozen goods and forcing store-level purges.
A number of locations also experienced electrical fires attributed to overheating refrigeration units, with automated sprinklers being triggered in certain stores.
Emergent reports from local media place the affected footprint well into the hundreds of retail sites, well beyond an initial figure of four hundred compromised branches. At the core of the incident are Danfoss refrigeration controllers, with preliminary investigations suggesting the malware operated through networked management hardware and software supplied by Danfoss.
The affected units are described as largely older models, some of which have ceased receiving software updates, raising concerns about unpatchable flaws. Investigators are examining remote-access logs, firmware, and alarm data, while authorities including the French national cybersecurity agency and the Paris prosecutor’s office pursue connections between victims, spoilage, and resulting fires.
Danfoss has advised customers to upgrade devices that remain supported and to begin phasing out antiquated equipment lacking security updates. The company and authorities have cautioned that the identity and motivation of the attackers remain unknown at this stage.