France Accuses Iran of Cyberattack on Supermarket Refrigeration Systems
The French government has accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of orchestrating an unprecedented cyberattack across the country. The incident, which took place in October, crippled refrigeration and freezer systems in more than 700 supermarkets. Temperatures in the units soared to 50 degrees Celsius, destroying tens of millions of euros worth of food products. In several instances, the overheating of the systems created a genuine risk of fire.
Unprecedented Cyber Sabotage
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that this marks the first time a cyberattack has been carried out on French soil with the explicit intent of sabotage. "This is an unprecedented campaign in terms of its scale and aggression, representing a serious strike against France's national interests and the safety of its citizens," the minister noted. The attacks targeted major retail chains, including Carrefour, Casino, Leclerc, Metro, and Intermarché.
According to data from France’s Cyber Crisis Coordination Centre (C4), the attacks were not limited to supermarkets. Similar incidents were reported in other European countries days later. Subsequently, the cyber offensive targeted France’s blood plasma reserves. The attack on Coolworld, a company that supplies the French Blood Establishment (EFS), was successfully thwarted, preventing significant damage to the medical sector.
The Iranian Connection and Diplomatic Tensions
Iranian hacker groups have been increasingly active in cyber incidents worldwide. In August, they were blamed for temporarily disabling a power plant in the United Kingdom and damaging systems at more than 30 water supply facilities in the U.S. state of Minnesota. The French Foreign Ministry asserts that Iran’s attempts at destabilization are not new, citing the 2023 attack on Charlie Hebdo and attempts to disrupt the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
In response to the incident, France summoned the Iranian ambassador in Paris to lodge a formal protest. While Iranian authorities have yet to issue an official comment, some Iranian media outlets have dismissed the allegations as baseless. The incident underscores the urgent need for robust cybersecurity for critical infrastructure, as modern technological systems are increasingly becoming tools of hybrid warfare.