Cyberattack heats French supermarket fridges to 50°C, destroys food, sparks fires

A large-scale cyberattack on October 11–12 remotely triggered forced defrosting in refrigeration systems across over 480 French supermarkets, heating units to 50°C and causing widespread food spoilage, fires, and estimated losses in the tens of millions of euros. The attack targeted Danfoss-made control systems running outdated firmware; French authorities launched investigations and coordinated with European counterparts as evidence emerged of similar incidents in other countries.

Quick Facts

Cyberattack on refrigeration control systems
Remote triggering of forced defrosting cycles
Temperature manipulation to 50°C
Food spoilage and destruction
Fires at multiple locations

A large-scale cyberattack targeting refrigeration control systems struck hundreds of French supermarkets overnight between October 11 and 12, 2026. Hackers remotely triggered forced defrosting cycles and set temperatures to 50 degrees Celsius (122°F), causing widespread food spoilage, fires at some locations, and estimated losses in the tens of millions of euros.

The attack affected at least 480 stores across major retail chains. Intermarché and its Netto brand reported approximately 150 affected stores, with refrigeration units reaching 50°C for six hours. Coopérative U confirmed over 100 outlets hit by the "extremely serious and unprecedented" attack. Carrefour reported 80 affected supermarkets out of 6,000 total stores, while Monoprix said approximately 5 percent of its roughly 490 stores were impacted. E. Leclerc, Carrefour Market, and Monoprix were also reported as targeted, though some confirmations remained pending. All affected stores discarded perishable and frozen goods to prevent health risks.

Danish refrigeration equipment manufacturer Danfoss confirmed the attack targeted its control systems, specifically models AK-SM800 and AK-SC355. The company stated that affected units were running outdated firmware no longer receiving security updates, and disclosed that it had long advised customers to update systems and replace legacy equipment. A vulnerability in Danfoss software had been publicly documented by cybersecurity firm Claroty on August 9, 2026, which could allow attackers to bypass authentication and execute code remotely.

French authorities launched investigations immediately. Prime Minister Sebastien Lecornu ordered France's National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) to investigate, and the Paris prosecutor's office opened a formal inquiry into what it termed "a large-scale cyberattack affecting the refrigerators of several major food retail chains across France." ANSSI identified the vulnerability in the Danfoss software and began coordinating with European counterparts, as evidence suggested other countries were also affected. Cybersecurity analysts at Sekoia reported that Spain, Portugal, Poland, Germany, and Belgium had also experienced similar incidents. The Netherlands' largest supermarket chain, Albert Heijn (operated by Ahold Delhaize), also reported network security issues and temporarily shut down online delivery services.

The attack raised concerns about food security and critical infrastructure vulnerability. EU Food Commissioner Christophe Hansen condemned the incident on social media, stating that "food security requires more attention at all levels" and noting that the "weaponisation of food has become a reality." France's retail federation called on Danfoss to provide full transparency regarding the incident. Early loss estimates approached €300,000 in individual store reports, with two supermarkets in the Alsace region reporting combined losses of €270,000. Intermarché's CEO Thierry Cotillard estimated nationwide losses could reach "tens of millions of euros" in a single day.

Topics

Technology Business World Science

#refrigeration systems #firmware #ANSSI #remote access #food waste #defrosting #food security #ransomware #refrigeration #European incident

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Why This Matters

Over 480 supermarket locations across France lost refrigeration capacity within hours, forcing destruction of perishable inventory and triggering food waste on a scale affecting supply chains and consumer access. The incident exposed critical infrastructure vulnerability in point-of-sale and refrigeration control systems; Danfoss disclosed that affected devices ran unpatched firmware for which a public exploit had existed since August 2026. Similar attacks reported across Spain, Portugal, Poland, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands suggest coordinated or opportunistic targeting of vulnerable industrial control systems in food retail. Estimated direct losses exceed €300,000 per store in some cases, with nationwide impact potentially reaching tens of millions of euros in a single incident.

Timeline & Sources

Aug 9, 2026

Wire

Cybersecurity firm Claroty published research detailing vulnerabilities in Danfoss AK-SM800 and related systems

Oct 11, 2026

Wire

Cyberattack begins: hackers remotely trigger forced defrosting in supermarket refrigeration systems overnight

Oct 12, 2026

Wire

News reports confirm affected stores in France, Netherlands, and other European countries

Oct 12, 2026

Wire

France's National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) identifies vulnerability in Danfoss software; coordinates with European counterparts