France has publicly accused Iran of being responsible for a series of cyber-attacks that targeted the refrigeration systems of hundreds of supermarkets across the country last month. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot stated that the operation was carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran. Describing the incident as "unprecedented in both its scale and its level of aggression," Barrot announced that France intends to implement sanctions at the European level against all individuals deemed responsible for the attack.
The breach, which occurred on 11 October, involved hackers gaining control over software that regulates commercial refrigeration temperatures. The impact was widespread, affecting more than 100 supermarkets operated by Coopérative U, as well as 180 stores under the Intermarché and Netto brands. In some instances, the temperature within the fridges and freezers reportedly climbed as high as 50C (120F) overnight, resulting in the spoilage of fresh and frozen goods valued at millions of euros.
In a separate development on Monday, Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau confirmed that an investigation has been opened into the head of an offensive cyber unit associated with the IRGC, along with two of his deputies. The prosecutor identified the unit as Shahid Kaveh, noting its affiliation with the electronic and cyber centre of the IRGC.
The situation extended beyond French borders last week, as dozens of supermarkets across seven other European countries also reported cyber-attacks targeting their refrigeration units. It remains unclear if these incidents are connected to the earlier events in France. Iran has not yet provided a response to the allegations made by Minister Barrot.
On 11 October, hackers gained control of the software that regulates the temperatures of the refrigeration units used in many of France's supermarkets.
