A sophisticated cyberattack targeted the cooling systems of hundreds of supermarkets across France overnight on October 11, forcing retailers to discard massive quantities of spoiled food. According to Bloomberg reports, the perpetrators deliberately overrode the equipment protocols by switching the refrigeration units into a defrost mode.

Representatives for Groupement Mousquetaires, the operator of the Intermarché chain, claimed that approximately 150 of their stores suffered severe damage. The cooling units purportedly heated up to 50 degrees Celsius for roughly six hours, destroying meat, frozen goods, and vegetables. Mousquetaires asserted that because the systems were managed by the Danish firm Danfoss, complaints should be directed straight to the equipment supplier.

The digital intrusion also impacted the Coopérative U network, with CEO Dominique Schelcher reporting that around 100 of their branches were affected, alongside select Leclerc supermarkets. Danfoss acknowledged the incidents in France, stating they are working alongside clients to address the aftermath of the security breach.

Danfoss spokesperson Lars Grubak alleged that older models of refrigeration management systems and outdated software architectures were primarily breached by the attackers. However, security analysts note that back in August, researchers from Claroty's Team82 had already warned about underlying vulnerabilities in Danfoss controllers, including a hidden authentication mechanism allowing unauthorized interference with cooling infrastructure.

Source: kun.uz