A cyberattack manipulating refrigeration systems in French supermarkets overnight from October 11 to 12, 2026, spread to other European nations and disrupted services for a major retail group in the United States, affecting approximately 700 stores in France alone.

This incident shows the vulnerability of critical food infrastructure to cyber threats, leading to widespread food spoilage and economic losses across multiple countries, and raising concerns about global food security.

What the records show

The timeline

What changed and for whom

What the subject has said publicly

French Finance Minister Roland Lescure told Parliament that while about 700 supermarkets were affected, there was "no risk to France's food supplies". However, he acknowledged that the attack "touches the heart of our food security". The Paris prosecutor's office confirmed an investigation into the attack.

What we could not confirm