NewsHackers force hundreds of French supermarket freezers to heat up
Hackers remotely accessed software controlling store refrigeration units. They forced freezers to reach temperatures up to 50C overnight. Millions of euros in fresh and frozen food were spoiled. Retailers were forced to throw out entire inventory stocks. This attack proves how vulnerable remote mana
Imagine walking into your store on Monday morning and feeling a wave of hot air coming from your freezers. That is exactly what managers at hundreds of supermarkets across France experienced this week. Hackers gained control of the software that regulates refrigeration temperatures, forcing units to heat up to 50C, or 120F, overnight. The attack targeted Danfoss, a Danish engineering company that provides remote management software for cold units. When the software was compromised, the hackers overrode the normal defrost cycles and kept the machines running hot for hours. For some stores, the result was melted ice cream and spoiled meat, with two stores in the Alsace region alone reporting losses of 270,000 euros. Intermarché, a major French grocery chain, had to throw away massive amounts of food to ensure public safety. Carrefour, Monoprix, and E.Leclerc were also hit, with nearly 400 stores affected nationwide. Danfoss stated that the hack specifically impacted older models that could no longer be updated with modern security patches. This is a stark reminder for any business owner using remote sensors or smart thermostats. If your equipment is connected to the internet, it is a target. Check your software versions today and make sure your systems are supported. It is much cheaper to upgrade a security patch than to restock your entire freezer aisle after a total meltdown.