Science & Tech · Cybersecurity · 3 hrs ago
Cyberattack spoiled food at hundreds of French supermarkets
Hackers remotely altered refrigeration systems at hundreds of supermarkets in France, causing fresh and frozen food to spoil overnight.
They used internet-connected control devices and security flaws to bypass login checks, then set the temperature to 50°C and started a forced defrost cycle.
The incident shows how attacks on industrial control systems can cause physical damage, not just steal data.
These systems are used in sectors including food, power, water, transport and health care, so similar weaknesses could disrupt essential services.
The losses from the supermarket attack could reach millions of euros, though no final figure is given.
The recommended safeguards include updating device software, checking for vulnerabilities, using strong passwords and limiting remote access.
Hackers remotely altered refrigeration systems at hundreds of large supermarket chains in France, according to China News Service.
They reportedly set equipment to forced defrost mode and raised the temperature setting to 50°C.
Fresh and frozen products spoiled, with losses potentially reaching millions of euros.
Staff discovered the spoiled goods the following morning.
The article says attackers exploited security flaws in temperature-control systems and accessed them through remote management interfaces.
- Who
- Hackers targeted refrigeration systems at large supermarket chains in France.
- What
- They reportedly activated forced defrost and set equipment to 50°C, spoiling fresh and frozen products.
- When
- In recent days, according to the article; no exact date is stated.
- Where
- Hundreds of large supermarket chains in France.
- Why
- Not stated.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The refrigeration systems reportedly ran forced defrost and heating after hackers changed their settings.
Staff found that fresh and frozen products had spoiled.
- Affected businesses
- Hundreds of large supermarket chains
- Location
- France
- Temperature setting
- 50°C
- Reported losses
- Potentially millions of euros
1 source
What people are saying
The temperature setting was changed to 50℃
The attackers completed remote temperature control in just three steps