Hackers Force French Supermarket Fridges to Heat Up in Cyberattack, Global Data Race Intensifies

Hundreds of French supermarkets have been severely impacted by a recent cyberattack that caused their refrigeration systems to dangerously overheat, leading to widespread disruption and significant food spoilage. The unprecedented incident, which unfolded around October 11-12, 2026, forced multiple major retailers, including Intermarché, Coopérative U, and E. Leclerc, to discard vast quantities of fresh and frozen products. Some affected stores reported temperatures in their fridges soaring to as high as 50°C, and there were even instances of fires being sparked by the malfunctioning equipment.

The attackers reportedly exploited vulnerabilities within refrigeration control systems manufactured by the Danish company Danfoss, particularly targeting older models or those running outdated firmware. This remote manipulation of cooling units caused them to enter continuous defrost cycles, rendering them ineffective. The financial fallout from the attack is estimated to be in the tens of millions of euros nationwide, with some individual supermarkets facing losses of hundreds of thousands of euros.

French authorities, including the National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) and CERT-FR, have launched investigations into the large-scale attack. This event has highlighted critical vulnerabilities in interconnected food supply chains and operational technology, prompting calls for enhanced cybersecurity measures for essential infrastructure.