France on Monday accused Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of carrying out a cyberattack on supermarket refrigeration systems last month that led to fresh and frozen food being spoiled at around 700 retailers. Paris has launched an investigation and said it would push for European-level sanctions against Tehran.
“I can confirm that this attack was carried out by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of the Islamic Republic of Iran,” French foreign minister Jean-Noel Barrot said, referring to the cyberattacks on supermarkets on October 11 and 12.
He added, “This attack is unprecedented in both its scale and its level of aggression. We will implement sanctions at the European level against all those responsible for this attack.”
Tehran did not immediately respond to France’s allegations.
France opens investigation
French authorities have launched a probe into an Iranian cyber unit linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps over the attacks.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau said in a statement, “A judicial investigation has been opened against the head of the Iranian group Shahid Kaveh, an offensive cyber unit affiliated with the Electronic and Cyber Center of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC-CEC), against his two deputies, and against any other individuals who may be identified.”
What happened last month?
Hundreds of supermarkets across France were targeted in cyberattacks last month. Hackers gained access to refrigeration systems and changed their settings, causing fridges and freezers to heat up to 50°C (122°F) for around six hours.
The October 11 attack bypassed temperature controls in commercial refrigeration units across hundreds of stores. Workers at several supermarkets in Paris disposed of spoiled meat and frozen products in large rubbish containers.
Cybersecurity experts had earlier told news agency Reuters that the attack appeared relatively easy to carry out. The company that manufactured many of the affected units said some were outdated or running on old firmware. This may have left them more vulnerable to hackers.
The consequences were serious. Some refrigeration units were heated to such high temperatures that they caught fire. In the hours after the attack, supermarket workers had to dispose of boxes of spoiled meat and melted ice cream.
The October attacks were followed by another series of cyberattacks this month, affecting more than 100 establishments across Europe. The latest incidents also disrupted refrigeration units used by French blood banks, forcing staff to transfer some blood supplies to other cold storage facilities.
With inputs from agencies
