France alleges Iranian cyberattack on supermarket refrigeration systems

The Paris prosecutor’s office has initiated requests for international arrest warrants against the leader of Shahid Kaveh, a cyber unit linked to the Revolutionary Guards, and two of his associates.

The initial attack occurred on October 11th and affected hundreds of establishments. Cybersecurity experts noted the apparent ease with which the hackers gained access, citing outdated firmware and obsolete equipment as potential vulnerabilities.

The consequences were significant, with some refrigerators experiencing dangerously high temperatures leading to fires. Supermarket staff were forced to discard large quantities of spoiled food, including meat and ice cream.

The financial impact of the attacks is estimated to be in the tens of millions of euros. A subsequent wave of hacking impacted over 100 establishments across Europe, even affecting French blood banks, which required the relocation of some blood supplies to alternative storage.

The incident has fueled speculation regarding potential involvement from various actors, including Russia and considering the broader context of the U.S.-Iran conflict and the increasing prevalence of AI-powered cyberattacks.

Similar incidents occurred in the United States in August, affecting refrigerators at military commissaries. Pentagon investigators are treating these malfunctions as a suspected cyberattack and are collaborating with French authorities on the investigation.

The Pentagon acknowledged awareness of the speculation surrounding the incident but declined to provide further details, citing security concerns.