564/69 Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Reports have emerged of cyberattacks targeting refrigeration control systems at several supermarkets in France. Attackers gained control of Danfoss AK-SM and AK-SC devices and manipulated their defrost settings, causing temperatures in some refrigerators and freezers to rise to approximately 50°C. As a result, significant quantities of fresh and frozen products could no longer be sold. CERT-FR confirmed that numerous devices across both product families had been compromised. However, the identity of the attackers and the method used to gain access to the systems have not yet been confirmed.
The affected devices are used to manage and control refrigeration systems, including temperature settings and remote defrost cycles. Once attackers gain access, they can modify operating parameters and force the defrost function to run continuously, causing internal temperatures to rise and disrupting the safe storage of products. CERT-FR noted that exposing the system’s management interface directly to the internet is inconsistent with recommended security practices. There is currently no confirmation that the attacks exploited any specific CVE vulnerability.
Administrators using Danfoss AK-SM or AK-SC systems should check whether their management interfaces are directly accessible from the internet. Where remote administration is necessary, access should be restricted to authorized IP addresses only. If a device is suspected of being compromised, administrators should restrict its network connectivity, perform a factory reset, install all available security updates, change relevant secrets and credentials, review user accounts, and fully reconfigure the device. For older devices that are no longer supported, organizations should consider replacing them with models that continue to receive security updates.
Source: https://hackread.com/hackers-heat-supermarket-fridges-50c-france-cyberattack/