Cyberattack Spoils Food at Hundreds of French Supermarkets

• •Hackers targeted refrigeration systems of major French supermarkets, causing massive food spoilage.
• •The attack exploited known vulnerabilities in outdated Danfoss software, with critical CVEs identified.
• •French authorities have opened an investigation into the unprecedented cyberattack.

On October 12, 2026, a cyberattack targeted the refrigeration systems of several major French supermarket chains, including Coopérative U and Intermarché. The attackers exploited outdated software from Danish provider Danfoss, remotely triggering defrost cycles that raised temperatures in refrigeration units to 50°C (122°F). This incident affected approximately 150 to 200 Intermarché stores and nearly 100 Coopérative U outlets, leading to significant food spoilage and estimated losses in the millions of euros. The attack is described as unprecedented, with French authorities opening an investigation. Vulnerabilities in Danfoss's software had been publicly documented prior to the attack, including CVE-2023-25915, which has a CVSS score of 9.9, indicating critical severity. The identity of the attackers remains unknown, and the affected companies are working to restore operations.