Cyberattack on French Supermarkets Disrupts Food Supply, Exposes System Vulnerabilities

An unprecedented cyberattack targeting refrigeration systems in hundreds of French supermarkets has led to significant food spoilage and raised alarms about the vulnerability of increasingly connected food supply chains. The Paris prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the incident, which occurred overnight.

Retailer Les Mousquetaires, which operates the Intermarche and Netto chains, estimates losses in the millions of euros. Dominique Schelcher, CEO of Cooperative U, another affected supermarket chain, called the attack "of extreme gravity and unprecedented," noting that targeting essential food preservation equipment impacts the French population's food supply.

Hackers Manipulate Refrigeration Systems

According to reports, hackers remotely triggered the "forced defrosting" of refrigeration and freezer systems in numerous stores. In some cases, temperatures were reportedly raised to 50°C (122°F), and defrost cycles were extended from one hour to eight hours to delay alarm notifications. This manipulation caused widespread spoilage of fresh products.

The attack specifically targeted two refrigeration management product series, AK-SC and AK-SM, from the Danish company Danfoss. ANSSI, France's National Cybersecurity Agency, confirmed it is investigating and coordinating with European counterparts.

Danfoss stated that the affected units were running outdated firmware and that the company had previously advised customers to keep systems updated and migrate legacy systems. Investigators have not yet identified how the attackers gained access to the Danfoss systems. The French government has also noted that exposing such management interfaces to the internet is contrary to best practices.

Approximately 180 Intermarche or Netto stores were impacted, along with at least 100 Cooperative U stores, 80 Carrefour outlets, 30 Monoprix stores, and several E.Leclerc locations. Independent grocery stores and butchers using the same systems may also have been affected.

Thierry Cotillard, CEO of Les Mousquetaires, described the losses as "tens of millions of euros nationwide in a single day." In one instance, two supermarkets in Alsace reported losses of 270,000 euros. Some affected stores reported temperatures reaching up to 80°C (176°F), causing equipment to melt and leading to the disposal of vast quantities of frozen food.

Growing Threat to Food Security

While no other countries have confirmed related breaches, cybersecurity analysts suggest that stores in Spain, Portugal, Poland, Germany, and Belgium may also be at risk due to the use of similar software. Internet scans have indicated that Danfoss refrigeration controllers are exposed in countries including South Africa, the U.S., and the U.K., though France shows the largest concentration of these exposed controllers.

This incident is not isolated. In late August, at least six U.S. military commissaries reported refrigeration outages, resulting in spoiled products. U.S. food distributor United Natural Foods also experienced a suspected breach in June 2025 that impacted its systems. Separately, Dutch retailer Ahold Delhaize took systems offline as a precaution due to a cybersecurity incident affecting its network, which includes U.S. grocery brands.

Food systems are increasingly reliant on networked equipment, making them more susceptible to cyberattacks. According to the Food and Ag-ISAC, ransomware incidents in the food and agriculture sector increased by 62% in the first seven months of the year compared to the same period in 2025. A report released prior to the French attack highlighted vulnerabilities in Danfoss's refrigeration controllers that could allow unauthorized access.