France Suspects Iran Behind Cyberattack That Overheated European Fridges
France Announces Its Response
France said Monday it held Iran responsible for last month’s attack on supermarket fridges. The government summoned the Iranian ambassador and announced plans to seek sanctions across Europe against those it considers responsible.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said the ambassador was called in to protest. He described the incident as an unprecedented act of sabotage and said France would respond with sanctions and other measures.
Investigation Names Suspected Group
Paris prosecutors opened a formal judicial investigation Monday into suspected organized cybercrime allegedly carried out in the interests of a foreign power. Prosecutor Laure Beccuau said the case concerns Iran.
France’s national cybersecurity agency, ANSSI, attributed the attack to Shahid Kaveh, which it described as a cyber unit linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. The investigation targets the group’s leader, two deputies and any other people identified in the case. Investigators cited Farsi and IP addresses associated with devices in Iran; prosecutors are seeking international arrest warrants.
Stores Faced Significant Losses
In the early hours of Oct. 12, attackers remotely took control of refrigeration systems at hundreds of supermarkets and independent stores across France. Temperatures rose to 50 degrees Celsius, or 122 degrees Fahrenheit, for about six hours, forcing stores to discard fresh and frozen products.
Intermarché reported losses of tens of millions of euros in a single day. The attack affected about 700 of France’s 10,000 supermarkets.
Other Attacks Under Review
Last week, a cyberattack targeting several French blood banks tried to drive temperatures to extremely high levels. It was stopped before blood products or samples were damaged, and ANSSI and Paris prosecutors are investigating.
Supermarkets in Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland and Estonia also reported freezer and fridge problems last week that apparently stemmed from cyberattacks, leading some stores to dispose of spoiled food. ANSSI has separately linked attacks in France since 2020 to another Iran-affiliated group, Shahid Shoostari, including incidents involving Charlie Hebdo in 2023 and the Paris Olympic Games organization in 2024.
Key points
- France blamed Iran’s Revolutionary Guard for the Oct. 12 supermarket refrigeration attack.
- About 700 of France’s 10,000 supermarkets were affected, with temperatures reaching 50 degrees Celsius for about six hours.
- France summoned Iran’s ambassador and plans to seek European sanctions against those responsible.
- Prosecutors opened an investigation and are seeking international arrest warrants.