France has blamed Iran for orchestrating an unprecedented wave of cyberattacks that sabotaged refrigeration controllers at more than 700 supermarkets in the country.
Shahid Kaveh and the October Supermarket Hacks
The destructive operation struck grocery stores across France in the night of October 11 to 12, according to L’Express. Investigators attributed the intrusions to Shahid Kaveh, an offensive cyber unit linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ Electronic and Cyber Centre, as reported by Channelnewsasia. The name Shahid Kaveh translates to “martyr Kaveh,” referring to a Revolutionary Guard commander killed during the 1980s, according to Le Monde.
🇫🇷🇮🇷 France says it's ruling out NOTHING to hit back at Iran over the supermarket fridge hacks. Paris has already summoned Iran's ambassador. FM Jean-Noël Barrot says France will push for EU sanctions, plus other measures it may not disclose publicly. Prosecutors also want… pic.twitter.com/NsnufuYYxg
The Paris prosecutor’s office issued three international arrest warrants: one for Hamid Reza Lashgarian and two for the leaders of the Shahid Kaveh cyber unit, Mahdi Lashgarian and Reza Salarvand.
The prosecutor noted that the group’s methods often involve using the Persian language and IP addresses linked to Iranian terminals. According to L’Express, the 35-year-old Salarvand reportedly leads a team that compiles databases of potential targets, including American gas stations and US freight ships.
“A hallmark of this unit's modus operandi is the use of the Persian language and IP addresses that trace back to terminals located in Iran,” said the Paris prosecutor.
Sanctions and Previous Activity
The individuals identified in the investigation have faced prior international scrutiny. In 2024, the US Treasury announced sanctions against Mahdi Lashgarian, Hamid Reza Lashgarian, and four others due to cyberattacks. The US Treasury identified Hamid Reza Lashgarian as a commander within the IRGC’s Quds force, which manages the group’s foreign operations. In February 2024, he was placed under US anti-terrorism sanctions.
The group’s activities extend beyond recent supermarket incidents. In August 2024, Washington offered a $10 million reward for information regarding the CyberAv3ngers group’s actions against water distribution systems. According to the US State Department, that group compromised Vision series industrial programmable logic controllers produced by the Israeli firm Unitronics. L’Express also noted that the group had allegedly claimed responsibility for similar attacks against Israeli installations.
Hackers Target European Grocery Stores and Blood Banks
While Barrot’s comments focused on France, recent reports indicate that hackers have targeted grocery stores across Europe and French blood banks in recent days. Although cyber experts have suggested these attacks might stem from Russian hybrid warfare, the Kremlin has denied such involvement. The Iranian foreign affairs ministry and its embassy in Paris did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
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