French officials on Monday blamed Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps for cyberattacks that disabled commercial refrigerators and freezers across the country last month, warning that Tehran would face consequences.
The attacks, which struck hundreds of French supermarkets in early October, were among the most disruptive cyber incidents linked to the Iran war that began in February. The conflict has been accompanied by a series of alleged digital operations targeting civilian and critical infrastructure.
Other reported incidents have included attacks on the Los Angeles transit system in March, US water treatment facilities in July and ships traveling toward the United States in August.
Iran’s mission to the United Nations did not respond to requests for comment. Tehran routinely rejects allegations that it conducts malicious cyber operations.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said Iran’s ambassador had been summoned to the French Foreign Ministry.
Barrot also warned that the European Union could impose additional sanctions on Iran, declaring that “there will be consequences” for the attack.
The October 11 assault overrode temperature controls in commercial refrigeration units at hundreds of locations. Cybersecurity experts previously told Reuters that the operation appeared relatively easy to execute.
The manufacturer of many of the affected units said some were obsolete or operating with outdated firmware—weaknesses that may have made it easier for attackers to gain access.
Cyber attackers hacked hundreds of supermarkets across France and defrosted their freezers last month
The attackers programmed the refrigeration systems to blow hot air at 50C causing temperatures inside the fridges to reach 36C, meaning a huge quantity of produce had to be thrown away
The consequences were severe. In some cases, refrigerators became so hot that they caught fire.
The Paris prosecutor’s office said the attack used methods consistent with those attributed to the “Shahid Kaveh Group,” an elite offensive cyber unit believed to operate on behalf of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Prosecutors have sought international arrest warrants for the group’s leader and two deputies.
Investigators examining the attacks found the use of Farsi, while IP addresses traced to devices located in Iran.
Speaking after a G7 ministerial meeting in Paris, Barrot said the investigation remained ongoing.
YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE: Democrats Weigh Payback Against Elon Musk After Texas Loss
In the hours after the attack, supermarket workers hauled boxes of spoiled meat and melted ice cream into large waste containers.
One French supermarket owner estimated that the nationwide losses could ultimately reach tens of millions of euros.
A second wave of attacks this month struck more than 100 sites across Europe. It also affected refrigerators used by French blood banks, forcing staff to transfer some blood supplies to alternative cold-storage units.
The attacks’ relatively simple execution—and their recurrence across several countries—has fueled speculation over the perpetrators. The incidents come amid concerns about Russia’s suspected sabotage campaign in Europe, the war between the United States and Iran, and the worldwide spread of AI-powered cyberattacks.
European supermarket refrigeration systems were not the first such targets. At least one similar incident had already been reported in the United States.
In August, refrigeration units at at least six military commissaries stopped working.
Pentagon investigators are treating those failures as a suspected cyberattack and are cooperating with French officials to determine what happened.
A person familiar with the matter said the Pentagon considers Iran a suspect in the August commissary incidents, although the investigation has not yet been completed.
The Pentagon said Monday that it was “aware of speculation regarding a potential cyber incident.” It added that military investigators were handling the matter but declined to comment further, citing security concerns.
In France, the attackers programmed refrigeration systems to blow air heated to 50C, pushing temperatures inside some units as high as 36C and forcing retailers to discard large quantities of food.
The attack affected thousands of refrigeration units across more than 700 French retail locations.
Stores operated by Carrefour, Monoprix, Intermarché and Coopérative U were among those targeted after attackers manually changed the temperature settings.
Dominique Schelcher, chief executive of Coopérative U, called the incident “unprecedented.”
“Targeting equipment essential to preserving fresh products and maintaining France’s food supply is extremely serious and unprecedented,” he said. “It is unacceptable.”
This is a breaking news story. More to follow.