France has accused Iran of carrying out a significant cyberattack targeting supermarket refrigerators last month, marking the first large-scale incident of its kind on French soil. Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot expressed concern over the attack, stating that it posed a major threat to the nation's interests and the security of its citizens. On Tuesday, Barrot summoned Iran’s ambassador to Paris to lodge a strong protest, and threatened further action if necessary to deter any future attacks. The incident resulted in the spoilage of millions of euros worth of perishable food and caused equipment damage in some cases. French authorities have opened an investigation into Shahid Kaveh, a cyber unit of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), over the attacks. Relations between France and Iran have been strained over nuclear and ballistic missile programs, and tensions escalated in August when Iran arrested and expelled two French diplomats.
In response to the allegations, Iran has denied any involvement, calling the claims baseless. The country's Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning one-sided accusations against Iran regarding alleged cyber activities in France. Similar incidents have been reported in other European countries, raising concerns about the increasing threat of cyberattacks on critical infrastructure. Experts have pointed out the difficulties in tracking down the group responsible for the attacks due to poor cooperation on international cybercrime investigations and the nature of packet switching.
The disruption of European air traffic by false bomb alerts against dozens of flights in recent days has further heightened concerns about cybersecurity threats. Jody Westby, chief executive of Global Cyber Risk LLC, stated that tracking down the group responsible for the attacks is very difficult due to the nature of packet switching and the lack of cooperation on international cybercrime investigations. France's response to the alleged attack will likely have significant implications for relations between the two countries and the broader international community.