New Delhi, Oct. 13 -- Hundreds of supermarkets across France have been hit by a large-scale cyberattack that disrupted refrigeration systems, spoiled fresh and frozen food, and triggered fires at several stores. The attack, reported over the weekend of October 11-12, targeted big retailers such as Intermarche, Cooperative U, Carrefour, E.Leclerc and Monoprix. That's why France's authorities have initiated an investigation into the security of connected refrigeration devices.

Hackers were able to remotely disrupt the refrigeration controls, which led to temperatures reaching as high as 50 degrees Celsius, according to reports by Reuters and Agence France-Presse (AFP) on October 12. The incident marked an exposure of vulnerabilities in int...