Hackers target outdated refrigeration software, turning freezers into “ovens” and forcing massive food waste across the country.

In an unprecedented cyberattack, hundreds of supermarkets across France have been forced to throw away massive quantities of fresh and frozen food after hackers remotely hijacked their refrigeration systems. The attack caused temperatures in commercial fridges and freezers to spike overnight, resulting in millions of euros in spoiled goods and leaving both retailers and consumers in shock.

“Like Opening an Oven”

The breach specifically targeted the remote management software of refrigeration units supplied by the Danish engineering firm Danfoss. Hackers managed to infiltrate the systems and override the thermostats. Instead of maintaining standard cooling and freezing temperatures, the appliances were reportedly forced to heat up to over 40°C (104°F).

“When we opened the fridge door, it was like opening an oven,” recounted one devastated store manager in Paris. The extreme overnight overheating not only spoiled the food but, according to authorities, also caused fires to break out in some locations.

Widespread Impact Across Major Retailers

The devastation stretches across France, with similar scenes of cleared aisles and discarded products reported from Poitiers in the west to Lyon in the southeast.

While the total number of targeted supermarkets is still being assessed, several major retail chains and cooperatives were heavily impacted, including E.Leclerc, Système U, Monoprix, and Cora. The hardest-hit retailer was the Les Mousquetaires group (which operates Intermarché), seeing approximately 300 of its shops compromised.

The financial toll is staggering. In just one single supermarket in a Paris suburb, the cost of the spoiled meat, dairy, and frozen products was estimated at €55,000. Multiplied across hundreds of stores, the total economic loss easily stretches into the millions.

Outdated Software to Blame

Following the incident, Danfoss issued a statement addressing the software vulnerability that allowed the hackers to take control.

“The majority of units affected are products from an old line that have reached the end of their life cycle and no longer receive software or security updates,” the engineering firm explained.

“People Are Hacking Fridges Now”

The sheer scale of the waste and the unusual nature of the attack have left customers unsettled.

“It’s quite shocking. People are hacking even fridges now,” one shopper in Lyon noted. “You have to think, where is the world going because clearly we don’t feel safe anymore.”

To mitigate the risk of repeat attacks, supermarket directors have been forced to take analog preventative measures. Many have completely disconnected the remote operation modules of their cold units. “We’ve switched everything off and disconnected it all so that there’s no risk of further attacks,” a store director explained, noting that staff will now have to monitor the temperatures manually.

Meanwhile, French authorities have officially opened an investigation to track down the perpetrators behind the widespread attack.