A cyberattack targeting refrigeration systems at hundreds of French supermarkets reportedly caused refrigerators and freezers to overheat, resulting in spoiled food, significant financial losses, and some reports of smoke and fires. Affected chains include Intermarché, Netto, Coopérative U, Carrefour Market, Monoprix, Leclerc, and Super U, with reports estimating that between 250 and 350 stores were impacted. The attackers allegedly compromised older Danfoss refrigeration controllers on Sunday night, October 9, 2026, and triggered their automatic defrosting systems, raising temperatures in fresh and frozen food displays to as high as 50°C (122°F). Intermarché and Netto removed potentially affected products to protect consumers, while supermarket staff worked with refrigeration specialists to restore operations. Les Mousquetaires, the parent organization of Intermarché and Netto, estimated that losses affecting around 180 stores could reach several million euros.
The Paris prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation to identify the victims, determine how the attack occurred, and assess the reported food losses and equipment-related incidents. Cybersecurity researchers have highlighted two vulnerabilities in Danfoss AK-SM 8xxA refrigeration management systems, disclosed in 2025, that could potentially enable authentication bypass and command injection, although investigators have not confirmed whether either flaw was exploited. Research also identified thousands of Danfoss systems exposed to the internet, including more than 1,500 in France, raising concerns about the security of industrial control equipment. Coopérative U president Dominique Schelcher condemned the incident, calling it “extremely serious and unprecedented,” and stressed the importance of protecting food supplies. A cybersecurity analyst also reported that the attack may have affected other European countries, while retail giant Ahold Delhaize separately disclosed a cybersecurity incident that forced it to take some systems offline, although no connection between the incidents has been established.
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