Hacked fridges spoil food at several French supermarkets after a cyberattack targeted connected refrigeration systems. The attack caused the cooling units to stop working properly, forcing stores to throw away fresh and frozen goods.
Reports say hackers took control of refrigeration management systems used by major retailers. Instead of keeping food cold, some units were placed in defrost mode for hours. Temperatures inside fridges and freezers reportedly climbed high enough to spoil food.
The problem affected supermarkets in France and other parts of Europe. Several large retail chains had to remove products from shelves and discard them to avoid food safety risks. Some stores also reported damage to refrigeration equipment.
Security experts say many of the affected systems were older models connected to the internet. Some were running outdated software and had known security weaknesses. Experts added that simple protections, such as software updates, stronger passwords, restricted access, and secure remote connections, could have helped reduce the risk.
After the attack, some retailers disconnected refrigeration systems from the internet to stop further interference. Authorities have also launched an investigation to find those responsible.
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The incident shows how a cyberattack can affect more than computers. When connected systems fail, it can disrupt store operations, damage equipment, and create problems for both businesses and customers.
