Cyberattack on French Supermarkets Spoils Food and Sparks Fires

• •Over 500 French supermarkets were affected by a cyberattack targeting refrigeration systems.
• •Attackers raised temperatures in freezers to 50°C, causing significant food spoilage and equipment damage.
• •Danfoss, the manufacturer of the targeted systems, confirmed that many were outdated models.

On October 11-12, 2026, a significant cyberattack targeted the refrigeration systems of hundreds of French supermarkets, particularly affecting models from Danish manufacturer Danfoss. The attackers remotely manipulated the systems, forcing them into continuous defrost cycles that raised temperatures to 50°C (122°F), resulting in extensive food spoilage and some equipment damage. Major supermarket chains including Intermarché, Coopérative U, E.Leclerc, and Monoprix reported losses, with estimates in the millions of euros. The French cybersecurity agency has advised immediate disconnection of affected systems from the internet and urged updates to firmware. An investigation is ongoing to determine the attackers' identity and methods. No data theft has been reported, and the attack appears to be focused on physical damage rather than information compromise.