France Accuses Iran's Revolutionary Guard of Cyberattacks on Supermarket Cooling Systems

French minister Barrot has accused Iran's Revolutionary Guard, an Iranian armed force, of carrying out cyberattacks on supermarket cooling systems. The attacks, which struck overnight between 11 and 12 October, hit about 700 supermarkets in France. Paris said it will press for European Union (EU) sanctions against all those responsible.

What happened

Barrot noted that the attacks spoiled a large quantity of goods and caused fires. He described the operation as unprecedented in both scale and aggression. According to the minister, it was the first large-scale cyberattack aimed at sabotage on French territory. He called it a serious threat to national interests and public safety.

France's response

The minister said France would take further measures to respond to such attacks and to prevent similar ones.

Similar incidents elsewhere

Since mid-October, cyberattacks on the freezing and cooling systems of supermarkets and food industry companies have also occurred in other European countries. The attackers remotely raised temperatures, causing food to spoil.

In early November, a French blood bank was also hit by a cyberattack. US media have reported investigations into several incidents in the United States.