# Cyberattacks on food supply chain refrigeration > Live situation record from CLSTR: https://clstr.news/situations/cyberattacks-on-food-supply-chain-refrigeration > Updated: 2026-10-23T00:52:05.000Z. Sources: 306. Developments: 3. The cyberattack on Danfoss refrigeration technology, which began between October 11 and 12, 2026, has caused widespread disruption across Europe. While the initial impact was centered on French retailers such as Intermarché, Système U, Carrefour, and Monoprix, similar activities have been observed in Spain, Portugal, Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In France, the scale of the disruption has grown, with approximately 700 stores reported as affected. Major retail chains including the Les Mousquetaires group (Intermarché and Netto), Coopérative U, Carrefour, Monoprix, and E.Leclerc have faced impacts. The attack involved hackers remotely triggering forced defrosting cycles, causing temperatures to reach 50 °C and resulting in the spoilage of massive quantities of fresh and frozen food. Some locations also reported fires caused by the temperature spikes. Specific impacts include the Groupement Les Mousquetaires reporting that roughly 300 of its stores experienced freezer heating for six hours, while Cooperative U noted 80 affected locations. The disruption also reached the Dutch retailer Ahold Delhaize, which took its websites offline across Europe and the United States due to security concerns, though it stated there is no evidence that customer or employee data was stolen. As of October 18, the financial consequences for French supermarkets have become clearer. Thierry Cotillard, president of Les Mousquetaires, estimated that nationwide costs could reach tens of millions of euros, potentially leading to legal battles over liability. French Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu has coordinated a response to the incident, which has triggered information-sharing at the European Union level. Preliminary investigations by the French National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) and CERT-FR suggest attackers exploited vulnerabilities in outdated firmware of refrigeration controllers manufactured by Danfoss. The event has prompted the French government to assess risks to other temperature-sensitive sectors, such as pharmaceutical storage. ## Claims - Between 150 and 300 Intermarché and Netto stores were affected. (disputed by 20 sources) - Approximately 700 supermarkets in France were affected by the cyberattack. (disputed by 7 sources) - Hackers took control of cooling units at approximately 350 French supermarkets on the night of October 11. (disputed by 3 sources) - Hackers remotely triggered a forced defrosting function, causing temperatures in refrigeration units to reach 50°C. (corroborated by 57 sources) - The Paris prosecutor's office opened an investigation into a large-scale cyberattack affecting connected refrigerators in several major food retailers across France. (corroborated by 40 sources) - Financial losses from the attack are estimated to reach tens of millions of euros across France. (corroborated by 38 sources) - Retailers are discarding affected fresh and frozen products to avoid sanitary risks. (corroborated by 36 sources) - The cyberattack targeted the remote control systems of refrigeration equipment manufactured by Danfoss. (corroborated by 32 sources) - The cyberattack caused fires in some supermarket locations. (corroborated by 30 sources) - Nearly 100 Coopérative U stores were affected. (corroborated by 25 sources) ## Timeline ### 2026-10-23: Cybersecurity research identifies 13,000 exposed refrigeration services Research reveals nearly 13,000 exposed refrigeration services globally, posing risks to hospital supplies and food security through potential temperature manipulation by cyberattackers. 3 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cybersecurity-research-identifies-13000-exposed-refrigeration-services ### 2026-10-18: French supermarkets hit by cyberattack on refrigeration systems Hackers targeted refrigeration systems at hundreds of French supermarkets, raising temperatures to 50°C and causing massive food spoilage and fires across major retail chains. 7 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/french-supermarkets-face-massive-food-losses-after-cyberattack-on-cooling-systems ### 2026-10-11: France supermarkets hit by cyberattack targeting refrigeration systems A major cyberattack in France targeted supermarket refrigeration systems, raising temperatures to 50°C and causing massive food spoilage and fires. Authorities are investigating vulnerabilities in Danfoss-made- 297 sources. https://clstr.news/cluster/cyberattack-disrupts-refrigeration-at-french-supermarkets --- Cite as: Cyberattacks on food supply chain refrigeration. CLSTR, https://clstr.news/situations/cyberattacks-on-food-supply-chain-refrigeration