Iran Revolutionary Guards Blamed for Supermarket Fridge Hacks
France has accused Iran of responsibility for a massive cyber-attack on supermarket freezers and chiller cabinets, describing the incident as an act of “unprecedented scale and unprecedented aggression”.
Jean-Noël Barrot announced on Monday that the Islamic Republic of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards carried out the digital intrusion. The attacks exploited digital thermostats on October 11 and 12, driving temperatures above 50C in hundreds of shops and forcing retailers to dump entire inventories of perishable food.
Barrot stated at a G7 press briefing in Paris that Europe-wide sanctions would be imposed against those responsible. He called the incident a major violation of national interests and confirmed that the Iranian ambassador had been summoned to lodge a formal protest.
Paris public prosecutor Laure Beccuau said investigators identified a modus operandi linked to Shahid Kaveh, a cyber warfare unit tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC). Authorities noted the use of Farsi and IP addresses originating in Iran during the automated system attacks.
European Supermarkets and Blood Banks Targeted
The initial wave of hacks hit roughly 700 supermarkets across France, causing intense heat spikes that melted ice cream, spoiled meat, and sparked fires in some units.
A second wave of attacks struck more than 100 establishments across 11 European countries last week. Retailers in the UK, Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Sweden reported refrigeration system failures.
The UK National Cyber Security Centre said it was aware of vulnerable technology being exploited in British food supply chains. The British Association of Independent Meat Suppliers reported that cold units at some member facilities saw temperatures surge to 100C, though no stock was lost because the affected devices were empty.
Separately, hackers targeted cold storage systems at the French blood service, raising temperature and defrosting thresholds. Technicians disconnected the units before blood products were destroyed, though officials have not confirmed if the blood bank breach connects directly to the supermarket hacks.
EU leaders discuss responding to the cyber attacks
The European Commission did not immediately comment on the French foreign minister’s declaration. However, EU foreign affairs chief Kaja Kallas indicated that upcoming discussions at the foreign affairs council would address a strong response to the incidents.
Earlier this year, the EU designated the IRGC as a terrorist organisation following a shift in France’s long-held opposition. A cybersecurity expert warned that a state group attacking commercial refrigeration could eventually target systems like water or electricity.
Investigations continue into the precise scope of the attacks. Pentagon investigators are also reviewing related refrigerator malfunctions reported at US military bases in August, though officials have not formally linked those incidents to the European hacking campaign.
Questions about the Iranian cyber unit and refrigeration attacks
Which specific Iranian unit was linked to the supermarket cyber-attacks?
French prosecutor Laure Beccuau identified the cyber warfare unit Shahid Kaveh, which is connected to the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps, as the group behind the modus operandi.
How high did the hackers push the temperatures in the affected refrigeration units?
Hackers overrode temperature settings to drive freezers and chillers from lows of -27C up to well over 50C, with some British meat supplier units reaching as high as 100C.
What European countries experienced refrigeration failures during the second wave?
Retailers in the UK, Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, and Sweden reported problems with their refrigeration systems.
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