Hackers hijack French supermarket freezers to 50 degrees causing stock loss

Hackers targeted hundreds of French supermarkets overnight from Sunday to Monday. They remotely accessed refrigeration control systems used by major chains like Intermarché, Netto, and Coopérative U. The attackers set the temperature in freezers and fridges to 50 degrees Celsius instead of keeping them cold.

The breach involved a forced defrost function that cleared ice buildup but was triggered continuously by the intruders. Staff reported a wave of hot air when opening units in the morning after several hours of overheating. This action melted frozen goods and spoiled fresh stock across the network.

Financial losses are estimated to reach several million euros across the country. Specific stores reported discarding goods worth tens of thousands of euros each, such as a Leclerc location with 220,000 euros in damaged products. Fires were also reported at some sites according to the Paris prosecutor.

The scale remains under review with varying reports from major chains. The Mousquetaires group says 300 of its Intermarché and Netto stores were affected, while Coopérative U stated fewer than a hundred of its locations were hit. Another report estimated around 150 to 200 Intermarché stores and 80 Coopérative U outlets were impacted during the incident.

Danfoss stated that it is aware of the incidents in France, noting that they affected a limited number of refrigeration management systems. Most impacted equipment was older hardware specifically AK-SM800 and AK-SC355 systems that have reached their end of life. A security firm had previously disclosed vulnerabilities in similar models including a flaw that allowed attackers to bypass standard login protocols.

The Paris prosecutor has launched an independent investigation into the cyberattack targeting connected refrigerators. National cybersecurity agency ANSSI identified a vulnerability and is contacting its European counterparts to check for other affected companies. Retailers say their teams are mobilized to restore operations as quickly as possible.