French chains say cyberattack forced refrigerators to defrost

Intermarche and Cooperative U told AFP a cyberattack defrosted refrigerators in hundreds of French stores, forcing food disposal; prosecutors opened a probe, and other named chains have not confirmed.

Intermarche and Cooperative U told AFP that a cyberattack remotely altered store refrigeration, forcing refrigerators to defrost and requiring disposal of fresh and frozen food. Roughly 150 to 200 Intermarche stores and nearly 100 Cooperative U outlets were affected, and Cooperative U's CEO said the disruption began Sunday night. Paris prosecutors opened an investigation. Lobsters said the probe includes reported fires and food losses, while DataBreaches.net said prosecutors confirmed the incident and said it prompted fires. Media named E.Leclerc, and Lobsters also named Carrefour Market and Monoprix, but none of those chains had confirmed; BFM TV reported E. Leclerc was affected without immediate confirmation from the chain. Neither source identified an attacker, malware, or ransomware, and DataBreaches.net said no ransom demand was named.

• Intermarche and Cooperative U told AFP a cyberattack remotely altered store refrigeration, forcing defrosting.
• Roughly 150-200 Intermarche stores and nearly 100 Cooperative U outlets were affected.
• Cooperative U's CEO said the disruption began Sunday night.
• Paris prosecutors opened an investigation; Lobsters said it covers reported fires and food losses, while DataBreaches.net said prosecutors confirmed the incident and said it prompted fires.
• Affected stores must discard fresh and frozen products.
• Media named E.Leclerc; Lobsters also named Carrefour Market and Monoprix. Those chains had not confirmed, and BFM TV's report on E. Leclerc was likewise unconfirmed by the chain.
• No attacker, malware, ransomware, or ransom demand was identified.