France blames Iran for last month's cyberattack on supermarket fridges
France has formally blamed Iran for last month's massive cyberattack on supermarket refrigeration systems, summoning the Iranian ambassador and vowing European sanctions.
The attack sent refrigerator temperatures soaring to 50 degrees Celsius (122 degrees Fahrenheit) for approximately six hours, forcing stores to discard fresh and frozen goods. The Intermarché supermarket chain reported losses of "tens of millions of euros" in a single day. French prosecutors found that Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard was behind the large-scale cyberattack.
Diplomatic Response
The French Foreign Ministry condemned the attack "in the strongest possible terms." Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot announced the Iranian ambassador was being summoned to "strongly protest against this extremely serious act." France will seek European sanctions against all those responsible and take "any other measures needed" to respond and deter future attacks.
Investigation Details
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau announced a formal judicial investigation into suspected organized cybercrime with the aggravating circumstance of "having been committed to serve the interests of a foreign power." France's national cybersecurity agency, ANSSI, attributed the attack to the Shahid Kaveh group, described as a "cyber unit" affiliated with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Investigators found that the attackers had used Farsi and IP addresses linked to devices located in Iran. The Paris prosecutor's office is seeking international arrest warrants. The investigation targets the leader of the Shahid Kaveh group as well as his two deputies and any other individuals who might be identified in connection with the case.
Broader Context
Last week, another cyberattack in France on several blood banks was thwarted before it could damage blood products. Supermarkets in Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland and Estonia were also hit by similar cyberattacks affecting freezers and fridges. ANSSI has attributed other cyber attacks against France since 2020 to another Iranian-affiliated group named Shahid Shoostari, including attacks targeting Charlie Hebdo in 2023 and the Paris Olympic Games in 2024.
Related
