A major cyberattack targeted several French supermarket chains, causing widespread damage and disruption. The attack, which was described as "large-scale" by the Paris prosecutor's office, affected connected refrigerators in multiple major food retailers across France. The damage included food losses and fires, prompting Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu to instruct the National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) to investigate.
The attack had a significant impact on several supermarket chains, including Les Mousquetaires, which owns Intermarche. Around 150 of its stores were hit, with fridges heated up to 50°C for six hours. The company discarded all affected food to avoid sanitary risks. Cooperative U CEO Dominique Schelcher described the attack as "of extreme gravity and unprecedented," highlighting the severity of the situation.
Other supermarket chains, including Carrefour, were also affected by the attack. Carrefour reported that 80 of its supermarkets were hit, but noted that the vast majority of its 6,000 stores remained unaffected. The company took steps to mitigate the impact, but the attack still resulted in significant disruptions.
The French government is coordinating with European counterparts to assess the situation and determine if other countries are affected. The ANSSI investigation aims to identify the source of the vulnerability and prevent further attacks. A person in Prime Minister Lecornu's office stated that the government is working to determine if other French firms are at risk.
The cyberattack may have broader implications, as Dutch supermarket operator Ahold Delhaize reported a "security issue" in its network. The company, which operates the Netherlands' largest supermarket chain Albert Heijn, took several systems offline to protect them. A smartphone app for the retailer was unable to deliver groceries due to the incident.
The source of the vulnerability appears to be outdated firmware in refrigeration management systems supplied by Danish company Danfoss. Danfoss stated that it was aware of incidents in France affecting a limited number of systems and advised customers to keep supported systems updated with the latest firmware.
The incident highlights the growing threat of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure and the importance of maintaining up-to-date security measures. The French government and companies affected by the attack are working to mitigate the impact and prevent future incidents.
Key points
- The cyberattack caused significant disruptions to French supermarket chains, resulting in food losses and fires.
- The attack affected multiple major food retailers across France, with Les Mousquetaires and Carrefour reporting significant impacts.
- The incident may have broader implications, with Dutch supermarket operator Ahold Delhaize reporting a "security issue" in its network.
