France has formally attributed a series of cyberattacks targeting thousands of industrial refrigerated and freezer units to Iran, with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot confirming in November 2026 that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps was responsible.
Two waves of attacks throughout October and into November saw hackers remotely access web-based controllers managing cold and chilling units at grocery stores and retail supermarkets across France and broader Europe, raising temperatures to spoil food and destroy goods. Medical blood banks were also targeted, though the French Blood Establishment said the attacks were stopped before any blood was spoiled.
Speaking to reporters in Paris, Barrot called it “an attack of unprecedented scale and aggression” and described it as “the first large-scale act of sabotage on our national territory.” He added that the hacks would “not go without consequences.” The French government has summoned Iran’s ambassador and said it would issue European-wide sanctions against those responsible. Barrot also said the matter had been referred to the French justice system.
Security researchers have warned that the web-based controllers used to manage the affected units are vulnerable to remote attacks. Some of the affected models, made by Danish company Danfoss, are no longer receiving security fixes.
The attacks are the latest in a string of destructive cyberattacks attributed to Iran in 2026, following hacks targeting U.S. water providers and disruptions to U.S. medical device maker Stryker. The U.S. government has linked those attacks to pro-Iranian hacktivists working for Tehran, reportedly in response to the U.S.-Israel-led war against Iran, which killed its supreme leader in February 2026.
The U.S. is also reportedly investigating whether freezer units on military bases were compromised in similar attacks. U.S. officials have informally linked those incidents to Iran, though no formal public attribution has been made. A spokesperson for Iran’s consulate in New York did not respond to a request for comment.
Source: TechCrunch