According to sources close to the probe, French authorities believe state-sponsored Iranian hackers orchestrated a wave of cyberattacks aimed at commercial freezers and refrigerators throughout France. These incidents caused business disruptions, ruined food inventories, and heightened worries regarding the vulnerability of connected appliances.
The initial major assault took place on October 11, when perpetrators allegedly hijacked the temperature controls of cooling units in hundreds of locations. By tampering with the settings, the units malfunctioned, leading in certain cases to ruined merchandise and equipment fires, with potential monetary damages reaching tens of millions of euros.
Cybersecurity specialists previously informed Reuters that numerous impacted appliances featured outdated designs or ran older firmware, rendering them simpler to breach.
Also Read: French Bank Credit Mutuel Arkea Reports EUR 100 Million Missing in Cyberattack
Attacks Spread Across Europe
A subsequent round of attacks this month impacted more than 100 sites throughout Europe, including refrigeration systems utilized by French blood centers, which required employees to relocate preserved blood inventory to alternative facilities.
Officials noted that surveillance networks successfully identified the issues within the blood storage sites, averting harm to the blood products and guaranteeing the security of medical inventories.
Also Read: Europe-Wide Fridge Hacks Reach French Blood Banks
Iran Suspected, but Investigation Continues
French officials are currently examining whether these intrusions relate to state-directed Iranian cyber operations. Back in August, similar disruptions targeted the cooling systems at U.S. military commissaries, and Pentagon representatives likewise pointed to Iran as a potential perpetrator.
Although France and the U.S. are collaborating to examine potential ties between the incidents, investigators have not yet established a direct connection.
