France has formally accused Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of carrying out a major cyber attack last month that targeted refrigerators in European supermarkets and food storage facilities.
Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told a G7 ministers' meeting in Paris that the attack was unusually large and dangerous, aimed at the region including France.
On the nights of 11 and 12 October, hackers gained access to systems controlling the temperature of internet-connected refrigerators and raised them above 50 degrees Celsius. This destroyed large quantities of fresh and frozen food in more than 700 locations, including Carrefour and Intermarche chains, with losses running into several million euros. Some stores also experienced fire incidents.
Cold storage systems at three French blood banks were also hacked, forcing rapid relocation of blood stocks. Similar attacks hit more than 100 sites in Belgium, Finland, Ireland, the Netherlands and Sweden.
French cyber security agencies said the attackers exploited vulnerabilities in remote control systems such as Danfoss and Copeland.
France has summoned the Iranian ambassador and is considering further measures. The Paris prosecutor's office has opened a formal investigation into the IRGC cyber unit. Iran has not yet commented officially.
