French and U.S. authorities suspect Iran was behind a cyberattack targeting supermarket refrigerators and freezers across Europe, an incident that reportedly spoiled food and caused equipment failures, resulting in tens of millions of dollars in damage. The attack affected about 700 supermarkets, raising concerns about the exposure of connected refrigeration systems and the potential for cyber operations to disrupt essential commercial infrastructure.
France’s Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot accused Tehran of orchestrating the attack, warning that Iran would face retribution. Speaking Monday at a Group of Seven (G7) meeting in Paris, Barrot described the incident as the first large-scale cyberattack conducted for sabotage on French national territory, calling it a major threat to the country’s interests and the security of its population.
“Following its investigation, France is able to attribute these destructive actions to Iran, carried out by the SHAHID KAVEH cyber offensive unit, affiliated with the electronic and cyber center of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps,” France’s Foreign Ministry wrote in a Monday statement attributing cyberattacks targeting France to Iran. “This actor poses a persistent threat to our critical infrastructure.”
It added that these destructive cyberattacks are unjustifiable, inexcusable, and violate international law. “They also contravene the principles of the United Nations’ normative framework for responsible state behavior in cyberspace, to which the Islamic Republic of Iran has subscribed.”
The agency highlighted that the Iranian cyber threat against French interests is not new. “Iran has already carried out several destabilizing acts against us, notably targeting the weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo in 2023 and the organization of the Paris Olympic Games in 2024. In March 2026, the European Union adopted sanctions against the Iranian entity Emmenet Pasargad, which had contributed to conducting these cyberattacks.”
During the night of October 11-12, a cyberattack campaign targeted supermarket refrigeration controllers deployed in over 700 major retail locations across France. These cyberattacks caused considerable material damage, fires, and food losses estimated at tens of millions of euros.
The agency recognized that “this is an unprecedented campaign in terms of its scale and level of aggressiveness, thus constituting the first cyber offensive campaign carried out purely for the purpose of sabotage on national territory.”
The incident highlights the potential consequences of cyberattacks against connected systems outside traditional IT networks, particularly refrigeration infrastructure used to preserve food supplies and maintain supermarket operations. Reported damage ranged from spoiled inventory and equipment failures, underscoring how attacks on OT (operational technology) infrastructure can translate into direct economic losses and disruption to services relied on by the public.
“In accordance with the 2026 national cybersecurity strategy, France is determined to use all available means of response, including within the European Union and alongside its European and international partners, to anticipate, prevent, deter and respond to destabilizing and destructive actions targeting it in cyberspace,” the agency added. “Consequently, France will summon the Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to France to express its strongest condemnation of these cyberattacks.”
Furthermore, France will propose to its European partners the adoption of new sanctions against Iranian entities and individuals involved in this cyberattack against it, as well as in other malicious cyber activities.
Finally, France reserves the right to take any additional measures, public and non-public, deemed necessary and proportionate to respond to these cyberattacks.
In response, Iran has described French accusations that it was behind cyber-attacks that raised the temperatures of supermarket fridges and freezers as ‘baseless and hostile.’
On Tuesday, France summoned the Iranian ambassador and said it would be seeking European-level sanctions in response.
The EU said it would seek to provide a “swift and united response” pending discussion with member states.
“As the EU, we have consistently called on all states to refrain from malicious behavior in the cyberspace, and we will continue to address such malicious behavior, making use of all the tools that we have, also under the EU cyber diplomacy toolbox, including sanctions,” spokesman Anouar El Anouni said.
