Hackers heated French supermarket freezers to 50°C, destroying stock

A cyberattack on Danfoss refrigeration systems hit hundreds of French supermarkets overnight on October 12, with attackers remotely forcing defrost mode at 50°C and destroying fresh and frozen stock. Losses are estimated in the millions of euros, and the Paris prosecutor has opened an investigation.

• 300 Intermarché and Netto stores and fewer than 100 U outlets were affected
• Damage reached €50,000 in Haguenau and about €220,000 in Wasselonne
• Older Danfoss AK-SM800 and AK-SC355 systems without security updates were targeted
• ANSSI found a vulnerability in Danfoss software and alerted European partners