Cyber attackers defrost freezers in hundreds of supermarkets across France, costing them millions

Cyber attackers have hacked hundreds of supermarkets across France and defrosted their freezers. 

The motivation behind the attack overnight on Sunday is so far unknown and remains a mystery. 

The attackers programmed the refrigeration systems to blow hot air at 50C causing temperatures inside the fridges to reach 36C, meaning a huge quantity of produce had to be thrown away. 

The breach is estimated to have cost supermarket giants 'several million euros'. 

Around 100 Coopérative U supermarkets were targeted in the attack while  Intermarché said around 150 to 200 stores have been affected. 

E.Leclerc also said a cyber attack has 'affected one of its refrigeration equipment suppliers' with hackers 'managing to remotely trigger the forced defrosting of the refrigeration systems in numerous stores'.

Prosecutors have confirmed the incident and said the breach prompted fires to break out overnight. 

Other businesses are believed to have been targeted too, including Carrefour Market and Monoprix but the companies have yet to confirm this.

Dominique Schelcher, chief executive of Coopérative U, described the attack as 'unprecedented' and confirmed the cyber-attack had affected refrigeration systems since Sunday night.

He said: 'Targeting equipment essential to the preservation of fresh products and to the food supply of the French people is extremely serious and is unprecedented. It is unacceptable.'

Mr Schelcher added that the company's teams are 'fully mobilised' to restore the situation as quickly as possible.

He said: 'An investigation will be necessary to shed full light on this attack.'

Meanwhile Intermarché said staff will have to 'throw away all of the products' that are fresh and frozen. 

The company condemned the food waste and financial losses resulting from the attack, without providing figures, and warned there could be issues with insurance policies which do not 'cover this type' of in-store incident. 

Groupement Mousquetaires, which owns Intermarché, told Le Figaro that it estimates losses of 'several million euros'. 

Prosecutors in Paris said an investigation has been opened into 'the large-scale cyberattack affecting the refrigerators of several major food retail chains across France'. 

The probe will help 'identify the victims and establish the link with the damage they reported in terms of foodstuff losses and the outbreak of fires'.

According to BFM TV, fridge temperatures were 'altered remotely, resulting in the destruction of stocks of fresh and frozen products'.

In Haguenau, Bas-Rhin, near the German border, Intermarché store manager Sophie Matt told Le Figaro: 'After 25 years in the retail industry, I never thought this would happen to us. I've never experienced an attack like this.' 

She said the branch first became alerted to the attack when night shift workers discovered that their fridges were abnormally hot as the hackers had set the fridges' temperatures to 50C. 

Ms Matt estimates losses at her store alone to be around €50,000 (£42,200). 

France's ministry of commerce said it was 'in contact with distributors' but that no further information was currently available.  

The incident comes against the background of growing concern over the potential havoc that can be caused in Europe in all sectors by cyberattacks by malicious actors.

President Emmanuel Macron, a strong supporter of Ukraine in its fight against the Russian invasion, last month ordered measures to protect France's critical infrastructure from Russian 'hybrid attacks'.