US Probes Suspected Cyberattack Behind Military Freezer Failures

The Pentagon is treating the August freezer malfunctions at several US military bases as a suspected cyberattack and is coordinating with French investigators after a similar incident disrupted supermarkets in France earlier this month. Four US officials cited by Reuters said investigators are pursuing this as a cyber incident, with the Army Criminal Investigation Division’s Cyber Field Office involved and US Cyber Command units collaborating with other agencies.

Officials reported contacts with French authorities over a comparable attack on commercial freezers. At least six commissaries were affected, with some outlets counting as many as 14 sites across 11 states, though not all have been independently confirmed. Fort Irwin, Fort Huachuca, Naval Station Newport, Columbus, and Travis were named among the confirmed locations.

The article notes that in August the freezers did not merely stop; temperatures were raised, leaving large quantities of spoiled food. The French incident involved hackers taking control of cooling units in more than 350 stores, triggering emptied aisles and, in some cases, units catching fire.

Reuters did not determine who was behind the US incidents or the current progress of the investigation, and brand details for the US bases’ equipment were not disclosed; Danfoss was mentioned in the context of the French attacks. The piece also references a 2022 pattern of refrigeration-targeted hacking and a December 2025 prosecution linked to a separate meat-plant disruption, framing a broader history of Argus-like attacks on cooling systems. The French Embassy declined to comment.