Hackers Set French Supermarket Fridge Settings to 122 Degrees
The attack spoiled the food, damaged the equipment, and in some stores started fires.
Reuters World News · Saudi alert system, IMF outlook and French fridge hackJulien Fréret, the director of one French supermarket, put out a video statement to customers.
In the video, he said the attack on the stores' software "caused a total loss of fresh and frozen produce." Those were his words to the people who shop in his store.
A total loss means nothing in those cases could be kept. Fresh means food that is kept chilled. Frozen means food that is kept frozen. Once cold food warms too much, it cannot be sold as fresh or frozen.
The attack was not limited to his store. Hackers changed refrigeration settings remotely at major French supermarket chains. The change was made from a distance, through the system that controls the cold cases.
Some settings were set at up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. A setting tells a case what temperature to hold. A case set that warm cannot keep fresh food chilled and cannot keep frozen food frozen. Food held that warm spoils. 122 degrees Fahrenheit is far above chilled and frozen.
The food in the affected cases spoiled. Equipment that holds the cold was damaged. In some stores, fires started.
Retailers put expected losses at tens of millions of euros.
In his video, Fréret tied the total loss to the attack on the stores' software.
Questions people ask
Why couldn't the stores just chill the food again?
No. When chilled or frozen food warms past safe temperatures, bacteria can grow to unsafe levels. Cooling it again does not make it safe, so stores must throw it out.
How can a refrigerator case catch fire?
Fires can start when electrical parts overheat or fail. Refrigeration cases use motors and wiring that are meant to run cold, and severe overheating can damage those parts.
What do the expected losses cover?
The losses include food that had to be thrown away. Retailers have put expected losses at tens of millions of euros across the affected chains.