Cyberattack shuts down refrigerators at French supermarkets

Attackers exploited known vulnerabilities in aging Danfoss refrigeration controllers to remotely disable refrigeration systems across hundreds of French supermarkets overnight, causing widespread food spoilage and significant financial damage. The root cause lies in unpatched, internet-exposed operational technology (OT) devices that lacked adequate network isolation from external threats. This incident highlights the growing danger of neglecting legacy industrial control systems (ICS) in retail and food supply environments, where cyber-physical attacks have direct, real-world consequences. The attack is a stark reminder that OT and IoT devices are increasingly targeted and must receive the same security rigor as traditional IT infrastructure.