France accuses Iran of hacking supermarket refrigerators
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on MyJoyOnline
France accuses Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps of carrying out a cyberattack against the refrigeration systems of hundreds of French supermarkets, causing product losses estimated at several million euros. Paris announces European sanctions, while an investigation targets three Iranian officials, according to MyJoyOnline.
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot on Monday 9 November accused Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of being behind a cyberattack that disrupted the refrigeration systems of hundreds of supermarkets in France. He announced that France intended to impose sanctions at European level against those responsible for the attack.
The attack carried out on 11 October allowed hackers to take control of the software regulating the temperature of refrigeration equipment. More than 100 Coopérative U stores and 180 Intermarché and Netto stores were affected, with some refrigerators reaching temperatures of up to 50°C overnight, according to MyJoyOnline.
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau also announced on Monday that an investigation had been opened into the head of an Iranian cyberattack unit associated with the IRGC and two of his deputies. She identified the unit as Shahid Kaveh and linked it to the IRGC's electronic and cyber centre.
Supermarkets in seven other European countries were also affected the previous week by a cyberattack targeting their refrigerators and freezers. It has not been established whether the attacks are linked, while Iran has yet to respond to Jean-Noël Barrot's accusations, according to MyJoyOnline.
