A cyberattack hit hundreds of supermarkets across Europe, setting refrigerators and freezers to defrost overnight.
Exploiting a vulnerability in refrigeration controllers, hackers reportedly raised temperatures to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit), spoiling food products and causing significant monetary damages.
The attack hit several supermarket chains across Europe, including Auchan, Carrefour, E.Leclerc, Intermarché (owned by Groupement Mousquetaire), and Monoprix, Reuters reports.
Most of the damage was done in France, but food retailers in Belgium, Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, and Spain were also affected.
Cooperative U CEO Dominique Schelcher confirmed on X that several stores were affected. Cooperative U operates supermarkets under the Hyper U, Super U, and U Express and Utile brands.
“Our teams are fully mobilized, in coordination with refrigeration specialists, to restore the situation as quickly as possible. An investigation will be necessary to shed full light on this attack,” an automated translation of Schelcher’s post reads.
“Targeting equipment essential to the preservation of fresh products and to the food supply of the French people is of extreme gravity and is unprecedented. It is unacceptable,” Schelcher added.
According to French news outlet BFM TV, more than 300 supermarket locations across France were affected. The losses are estimated to reach millions of euros.