In a shocking cyberattack, hackers breached the remote temperature control software used by hundreds of grocery stores across France. Instead of stealing customer data or demanding ransom, the cybercriminals took control of internet connected smart freezers. Overnight, they turned off cooling settings, triggered forced defrosting, and raised internal temperatures up to 50°C (122°F). This sudden heating completely ruined huge stocks of frozen food, meat, dairy, and ice cream across popular supermarket chains like "Intermarché".
The hackers targeted central refrigeration management systems, which allow technicians to monitor and adjust store temperatures remotely over the internet. By exploiting weak remote access settings and outdated software, attackers abused the built in defrost feature to force the cooling units to generate heat continuously. When store employees arrived the next morning, they found melting packaging, spoiled food, and warm freezer aisles. To protect customer health, managers had to throw away tons of inventory, leading to losses worth millions of euros. In some locations, the extreme motor heat even caused electrical short circuits.
French cybersecurity authorities have launched an investigation into the incident, calling it a dangerous act of digital sabotage aimed at disrupting the food supply chain. Experts warn that this event shows how vulnerable internet connected everyday machines can be if strong security steps are not taken.
