Dagens Nyheter2 hours agoTech1 min read

France: Iran behind the attack on grocery stores

The prosecutor's office in Paris has opened an investigation against a group linked to the Revolutionary Guard's cyber unit

Quick Look

In mid-October, Iran's Revolutionary Guard carried out a cyber attack against several French food chains, including Intermarché and Netto.
The hackers took control of the temperature control of the refrigerators and freezers, which led to hundreds of stores being affected and food having to be discarded.
The cost is estimated at several hundred million kroner.

AI-generated summary

Why It Matters

In mid-October, a cyber attack was carried out against several large French food chains. The hackers took control of temperature control systems in refrigerators and freezers. Last week, similar facilities in several other European countries, including Sweden, were hit by attacks for which two pro-Russian hacker groups have claimed responsibility.

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- I can confirm that this attack was carried out by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, Barrot said on Monday, according to AFP.

Paris prosecutors have opened an investigation against a group linked to the Revolutionary Guard's cyber unit, prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement, according to France's BFMTV.

The attack, which took place in mid-October, affected several of the large chains and included a total of hundreds of stores. Among them Intermarché, which includes, among other things, the Netto stores.

The attack took place because the hackers managed to take control of the refrigerators' and freezers' temperature control systems. One of the companies that supplied a large number of the devices that were hacked has stated that many stores did not update their systems, which may have made them easier to manipulate.

According to an estimate from one of the owners behind the chains, the total cost of the food that had to be thrown away and the destroyed units could total the equivalent of several hundred million kroner.

Last week, refrigeration and freezer facilities in a number of other European countries, including Sweden, were hit by a similar attack. There, two pro-Russian hacker groups have claimed responsibility.

What to Watch

AI outlook — possibilities, not facts

The investigation by the prosecutor's office in Paris will lead to further information about the scope and origin of the attack
Likely · Within weeks

Open Questions

Which exact chains besides Intermarché and Netto were affected
How many stores were affected in total
What the two pro-Russian hacker groups are
If the attack in France and the attacks in Sweden are coordinated