France has accused Iran's IRGC of orchestrating cyberattacks on commercial refrigeration systems. The incidents exposed vulnerable cold-storage infrastructure and raised the prospect of further EU sanctions.Hackers allegedly manipulated refrigerator temperatures, triggering at least 15 fires. (Photo- Reuters)French officials on Monday accused Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of orchestrating cyberattacks that disrupted commercial refrigerators and freezers at hundreds of establishments across France last month, warning that Tehran could face further consequences, including additional European Union sanctions.French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot said the Iranian ambassador had been summoned to the French foreign ministry over the attacks.
He also warned of possible further EU sanctions against Iran.The announcement came minutes after Reuters reported that French investigators privately suspected Iran of being behind the cyberattacks.The attacks, which began on October 11, targeted around 700 commercial sites across France, including supermarkets, butcher shops, a slaughterhouse and food-processing factories, according to a joint report by French intelligence and cybersecurity agencies. At least 15 fires broke out after hackers allegedly manipulated refrigerator temperatures, causing some units to overheat.
The disruption forced supermarket employees to dispose of large quantities of spoiled meat and melted ice cream. A French supermarket owner estimated that the damage nationwide could run into tens of millions of euros.The attacks were followed by a second wave of cyber intrusions this month, affecting more than 100 establishments across Europe.
The latest incidents also disrupted refrigerators used by French blood banks, forcing employees to transfer some blood supplies to alternative cold-storage facilities.SHAHID KAVEH ACCUSED OF LEADING HACKING CAMPAIGN In their joint report, French agencies identified Shahid Kaveh, described as a cyber offensive unit linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guards, as being behind the hacking campaign.The report also named three alleged associates, Hamid Reza Lashgarian, Mahdi Lashgarian and Reza Salarvand, and said the hackers operated through several front groups posing as vigilante hacking organisations, including CyberAveng3rs and Cyber Isnaad Front.French authorities said they traced the attacks to Shahid Kaveh by examining the digital infrastructure used to sabotage refrigeration systems, matching the intrusion patterns with other operations attributed to the unit and identifying traces of the Farsi language in the attack infrastructure.Paris prosecutors separately said they had requested international arrest warrants against those allegedly responsible for the attacks.Iran's mission to the United Nations did not respond to requests for comment. Tehran has routinely denied carrying out malicious cyber operations.US ALSO PROBING REFRIGERATOR HACKSThe attacks in France followed a similar incident in the United States in August, when refrigerators at at least six military commissaries stopped functioning.The Pentagon is treating the incidents as suspected cyberattacks and is coordinating with French officials.
A person familiar with the investigation told Reuters that the US military considers Iran a suspect, although the probe remains ongoing.The Pentagon said on Monday that it was aware of speculation about a potential cyber incident but declined to provide further details, citing security concerns.Microsoft had also privately linked Iran to the October attacks at least two weeks before the French announcement, according to three people familiar with the matter. The company declined to comment.SECURITY EXPERTS WARN OF VULNERABLE SYSTEMSThe refrigerator attacks have raised concerns about the vulnerability of commercial infrastructure to cyber sabotage.Cybersecurity experts previously told Reuters that the attacks appeared relatively easy to execute.
The manufacturer of several affected refrigeration units said some were obsolete or operating outdated firmware, potentially making them easier to compromise.Saher Naumaan, a senior threat researcher at cybersecurity firm Proofpoint, said the incidents reflected less on Iran's cyber capabilities than on the vulnerability of the systems targeted.The attacks have also prompted warnings from US officials about the possibility of further cyber disruptions amid the ongoing Iran war, which began in February.- Ends