Iran Accused After Grocery Systems Hijacked
French authorities have accused hackers aligned with Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, or IRGC, of carrying out an October 11 cyberattack that disabled refrigeration systems at about 700 grocery stores. That represents roughly 700 of France’s 10,000 grocery stores nationwide. The Paris prosecutor’s office said hackers seized control of software used to manage refrigerators and freezers remotely. France’s cybersecurity authority traced multiple IP addresses involved in the attack to devices located in Iran and found that the operation was organized in Farsi. Iran has not yet responded to the accusations, leaving Paris to handle the diplomatic equivalent of sending a strongly worded email, only with international arrest warrants involved.
Freezers Became Fire Hazards
The attackers reportedly triggered endless defrost cycles and disabled alarms designed to warn workers about rising temperatures. The units climbed as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit, causing significant food spoilage and roughly 20 fires. Les Mousquetaires, which owns the Intermarché grocery chain, said refrigerators at about 180 stores stayed at that temperature for around six hours overnight. The company’s CEO, Thierry Cotillard, estimated that the attack cost French grocery chains tens of millions of euros in a single day. Two supermarkets in eastern France alone suffered about $302,000 in combined losses. A short nightly defrost routine was turned into a nationwide lesson in what happens when connected equipment gets commandeered.
Paris Seeks Arrest Warrants
Prosecutors are seeking international arrest warrants for the leader and two deputies of Shahid Kaveh, described as an organized cybercrime group aligned with the IRGC. Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau announced a formal judicial investigation Monday and said the attack was carried out to serve the interests of a foreign power, specifically Iran. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called it the first large-scale cyberattack aimed at sabotage on French territory. Barrot said France would pursue European sanctions against those responsible, summoned Iran’s ambassador to protest, and promised any other measures needed to respond and deter future attacks.
Outdated Equipment Raises Wider Warnings
Danish manufacturer Danfoss said almost all of the affected refrigeration units were legacy products that no longer receive software or security updates. The company said it had previously urged French grocery chains to replace or upgrade those models. The incident also drew attention in the United States. Last week, the FBI and four other federal agencies issued a joint fact sheet warning that similar attacks could target American grocery stores and cold storage facilities. The agencies urged operators to remove at-risk systems from the public internet, warning that poorly managed equipment could create fire hazards. In other words, the problem was not merely a bad day for French freezers. It was a reminder that neglected security systems can become very active liabilities.
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