France has accused Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of cyberattacks on refrigeration systems at around 700 supermarket and retail locations in October, causing food spoilage and financial losses, and is considering European-level sanctions.
France has accused Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of carrying out cyberattacks on refrigeration systems at around 700 supermarket and retail locations in October 2026, according to Nation Path India. The attacks occurred overnight on October 11–12, 2026.
The attackers remotely manipulated refrigeration and freezer controls, causing refrigerators and freezers to heat up and damaging large quantities of perishable food. According to French authorities, the attackers accessed refrigeration control systems through web interfaces, initiated abnormal defrost cycles and disabled temperature-warning alerts.
The Intermarché supermarket group reported losses amounting to tens of millions of euros nationwide in a single day, Nation Path India reported.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirmed on November 9 that the attacks were carried out by the IRGC, describing the incident as unprecedented in its scale and aggression. France has announced plans to pursue European-level sanctions against those responsible.
On November 10, Foreign Minister Barrot said France would summon Iran's ambassador and seek European-level sanctions. He also indicated that Paris would consider further measures to deter similar cyberattacks.
The Paris prosecutor's office has opened a judicial investigation into Shahid Kaveh, an offensive cyber unit affiliated with the Electronic and Cyber Centre of Iran's Revolutionary Guards. Prosecutors have also sought international arrest warrants for two officials associated with the unit.
The incident highlights the growing risks of cyberattacks against connected industrial systems. Targeting supermarket refrigeration equipment can disrupt food storage, damage businesses and create wider supply-chain concerns.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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