14.10.2026 00:21
Cyberattacks targeting the refrigeration systems of supermarkets in France have come to the agenda for the second time. The attacks, in which hackers remotely changed the temperature settings of freezers, raising minus 22 degrees to 150 degrees, endangered food safety. While products were destroyed in some supermarkets where the cold chain was disrupted, an investigation into the incident is ongoing.
The second cyberattack targeting the refrigeration systems of supermarkets in France has occurred. While the temperature settings of freezers at supermarkets using systems from the Italian company Dixell were changed remotely, food products were thrown away at some businesses due to the breakdown of the cold chain.
THEY RAISED THE TEMPERATURE OF FREEZERS TO 150 DEGREES
In the attack carried out on the night connecting October 12 to October 13, the refrigeration systems of supermarkets in different regions of France were targeted. Refrigeration technician Damien Deudon, who works in the Gironde department, stated that a supermarket around Bordeaux was affected by the attack.
Deudon stated that the attackers changed the temperature settings of the freezers, raising the temperature from minus 22 degrees to 150 degrees. The technician, who reported that two or three settings were changed per second in the system, emphasized that this was much faster than a human could do.
Deudon, who stated that he encountered such an incident for the first time in his 25-year career, drew attention to the scale of the attack.
FOOD WAS THROWN AWAY
Another region affected by the attack was Tarn. At a supermarket using Dixell's refrigeration system, all food products in the refrigerators were destroyed due to the breakdown of the cold chain.
The French National Agency for the Security of Information Systems (ANSSI) reported that it was aware of cyberattacks targeting applications used in the management of refrigeration systems.
THE REFRIGERATION SYSTEMS OF HUNDREDS OF SUPERMARKETS HAD BEEN TARGETED
In France, one day earlier, the refrigeration systems of hundreds of stores belonging to different supermarket chains had also been subjected to a cyberattack. In the attacks targeting systems developed by the Danish company Danfoss, the temperature settings of supermarket refrigerators had been changed remotely.
Due to the attacks, the cold chain of fresh and frozen foods was disrupted, and many supermarkets had to destroy their products. An investigation had been launched by the Paris Prosecutor's Office regarding the incident.