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France seeks arrest of three Iranian hackers over supermarket attack
France has requested international arrest warrants for three Iranian men accused of a cyberattack that damaged fridges across 700 supermarkets in October. Iran denies the allegations.
In brief
France has requested international arrest warrants for three Iranian men accused of a cyberattack that damaged fridges across 700 supermarkets in October. Iran denies the allegations. France requested arrest warrants for three Iranian men over an October cyberattack on supermarket refrigeration systems affecting…
Cyberattack hits French supermarkets
Hackers attacked refrigeration systems at roughly 700 supermarket sites across France overnight on 11 October. Altered defrost settings caused temperatures to rise and food to spoil.
Fires break out from the attack
The cyberattack caused at least 15 fires to break out at supermarkets across the country as temperatures in fridges rose uncontrollably.
France blames Iranian hacker group
Paris prosecutor Laure Beccuau opened a formal inquiry into Shahid Kaveh, a hacker group France's Foreign Ministry says is linked to Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
Three men named in warrants
France requested international arrest warrants for Hamid Reza Lashgarian, Mahdi Lashgarian and Reza Salarvand. They are accused of leading and commanding the Shahid Kaveh unit.
Suspects' alleged roles identified
Hamid Reza Lashgarian is identified as head of the IRGC's Electronic and Cyber Centre. Mahdi Lashgarian and Salarvand are identified as commanders of the Shahid Kaveh unit.
Evidence points to Iran
Investigators found Farsi language traces in the attack infrastructure and internet addresses linked to devices in Iran. The unit operated through front groups including CyberAveng3rs and Cyber Isnaad Front.
France calls it unprecedented aggression
Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot called the operation unprecedented in both its scale and its level of aggression. France has summoned Iran's ambassador and is seeking European sanctions.
“unprecedented in both its scale and its level of aggression”
Iran rejects accusations as baseless
Iran's Foreign Ministry said it categorically rejects France's baseless and malicious accusations. It accused Paris of trying to divert attention from its own policies in the Middle East.
“categorically rejects”
Iran's foreign minister mocks France
In a social media post, Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi mocked France, saying the government is unable to manage fridges and is shifting blame for its failures onto others.
“unable to manage fridges let alone addressing grievances of its people, the French government is shifting blame for its failures on to others”
The bottom line
France requested arrest warrants for three Iranian men over an October cyberattack on supermarket refrigeration systems affecting roughly 700 sites, while Iran rejected the accusations as baseless.
