World News
Cyberattack targets refrigeration at hundreds of French supermarkets overnight
Intermarché and Coopérative U say refrigerators were hit; Paris prosecutors have opened an investigation.
The short version
- An overnight cyberattack targeted refrigeration at up to 200 Intermarché stores and almost 100 Coopérative U locations, according to the retailers.[France 24]
- Carrefour said 80 of its supermarkets were also hit, while E. Leclerc was reported affected but did not immediately confirm.[France 24]
- Paris prosecutors confirmed an investigation and said the attack prompted fire outbreaks; Coopérative U's chief executive called it unprecedented.[France 24]
- Whether other chains, including Carrefour Market and Monoprix, were affected remains unconfirmed, and the attack's cause and full scope are not yet established.[France 24]
Key facts
- Up to 200 Intermarché stores and almost 100 Coopérative U locations had refrigerators affected in an overnight cyberattack, according to the retailers.[France 24]
- Carrefour said 80 of its supermarkets had been hit by the cyberattack.[France 24]
- The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed an investigation into the large-scale cyberattack affecting refrigerators at several food retail chains.[France 24]
- Paris prosecutors indicated the attack prompted fire outbreaks.[France 24]
- Coopérative U chief executive Dominique Schelcher described the attack as unprecedented and said refrigeration systems had been affected since Sunday night.[France 24]
- Intermarché told AFP that affected branches would have to discard all fresh and frozen products.[France 24]
- Danfoss said most affected equipment was legacy product no longer receiving software or security updates.[Hacker News]
What remains uncertain
- E. Leclerc's involvement is unconfirmed: BFM TV reported it, and E. Leclerc did not immediately confirm the information.[France 24]
- Carrefour Market and Monoprix involvement is unconfirmed; a specialist retail news site reported it and the companies have not confirmed it.[France 24]
- The attack's cause and full scope are not yet established; prosecutors have confirmed only that an investigation has been opened.[France 24]
- Danfoss's account that the affected equipment was legacy product is the manufacturer's own statement and is not independently verified in the reporting.[Hacker News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.
- 'Unprecedented' cyberattack targets refrigeration units at hundreds of French supermarketsFrance 24
- French supermarkets suffer fridge shutdown after 'unprecedented' cyberattackHacker News
- Fridges in French supermarkets hit by cyber attackBBC News - Business
- Fridges in French supermarkets hit by cyber attackHacker News
- Hackers heat up refrigerators at hundreds of supermarkets: "Unprecedented"CBS News - Top Stories
- Hackers Heat French Supermarket Fridges, Sparking Fires and Spoiling FoodSlashdot
- French supermarkets suffer refrigerator shutdown after unprecedented cyberattackHacker News
- Hundreds of French supermarkets hit by a cyberattack that defrosted refrigeration systemsDeutsche Welle
- Cyberattack Targets French Supermarket Refrigerators, Forcing Mass Food DisposalCNET
- Hundreds of supermarkets in France hit by ‘unprecedented’ cyberattackAl Jazeera
- Cyberattack hits hundreds of French supermarkets, spoiling millions of euros in foodFrance 24
- French fridge fright: Why supermarkets have become target for hackersAl Jazeera
- Cyberattack targeting refrigeration systems hits 700 supermarketsABC News - Business
- French supermarkets face millions in losses after cyberattack hits refrigerators nationwideFox News
- Cyberattacks hit European supermarket chains and disrupt refrigeration systemsAssociated Press
- Cyberattacks disrupt refrigeration systems at European supermarketsPBS NewsHour - World
- Hackers activate automatic defrosting accross European supermarket fridgesHacker News
- Fridge hack costing millions and sparking fires stemmed from poor securityArs Technica