France Blames IRGC for Hacking 700 Supermarkets
France has attributed a significant cyberattack against its supermarket refrigeration systems to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). During the night of October 11-12, hackers remotely altered cooling controls, impacting around 700 sites including Système U and Intermarché. This attack resulted in food spoilage and triggered approximately 20 fires, as detailed by the Paris prosecutor’s office. Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot labeled the attack as unprecedented in scale and aggression, confirming France summoned Iran’s ambassador and seeks European sanctions.
The attackers exploited web interfaces of Danfoss, Dixell, and Copeland systems, initiating indefinite defrost cycles and deactivating temperature alerts. This action combined altering cooling processes with removing safety warnings, posing direct risks to food storage. Investigations target Shahid Kaveh, an IRGC-linked cyber unit, based on patterns, language, and Iranian IP addresses.
France cautions against misattributing similar incidents to this group. Experts recommend securing control interfaces and conducting thorough system audits. For further details, read the full article here: