The Aporia
The Aporia
Hackers in France launched an unprecedented cyberattack on October 12, 2026, targeting refrigeration systems in hundreds of supermarkets, including chains like Intermarché and Coopérative U. By reprogramming cooling regulators to force a continuous defrost cycle, temperatures inside the fridges soared up to 50°C (122°F) overnight, causing vast amounts of fresh produce, meat, dairy, and frozen goods to spoil.
The attack led to significant financial losses, with individual stores reporting damage in the hundreds of thousands of euros. For instance, two supermarkets in Alsace reported combined losses of €270,000 (£228,000). Authorities confirmed it was a large-scale cyber-attack affecting major food retailers across France and opened an investigation.
The attack highlighted vulnerabilities in third-party systems that manage refrigeration units via internet-accessible control panels, allowing hackers to remotely alter temperatures en masse. French officials are collaborating with European counterparts to assess potential risks for other companies and countries, as similar incidents have been reported in Spain, Portugal, Poland, Germany, and Belgium.
