The French Foreign Minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, announced on Tuesday that Paris does not rule out any options for responding to a major cyber attack on hundreds of supermarket refrigerators in October, which is attributed to Iran. Barrot emphasized in an interview with Franceinfo TV that the Iranian ambassador will be summoned to the Foreign Ministry and a request for European-level sanctions will be made.
Dimensions of the Cyber Attack and Its Impacts
Barrot stated: "I can also say that we do not rule out any options and will take all necessary measures, including those that may not be publicly disclosed, to prevent any future attacks." The aim of these measures, according to Barrot, is "to deter anyone who may be seeking to repeat this attack in Iran or elsewhere." Barrot said on the sidelines of the G7 Foreign Ministers' meeting in Paris that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) of Iran is behind these cyber attacks on supermarkets.
This attack is considered the largest and most unprecedented type of cyber sabotage on French soil. Hundreds of French supermarkets were targeted in cyber attacks on October 11 and 12, causing a rise in temperatures in refrigerators and consequently leading to significant spoilage of perishable food inventories.
Judicial Investigations and International Follow-ups
Following these attacks, on November 2, stores in at least nine other European countries were also suspiciously targeted in cyber attacks. Laure Beccuau, the Paris prosecutor, announced on Monday that an investigation has been launched into the Shahid Kaveh cyber unit, which is linked to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, due to these attacks. The prosecutor's office has requested international warrants for two officials of Shahid Kaveh.
Barrot, referring to the history of such attacks in other European countries, emphasized that this cyber attack could have serious implications for cybersecurity at the international level. He also stressed the need for cooperation among European countries to counter cyber threats.
Overall, this cyber attack has not only harmed France's infrastructure but has also become a serious challenge for the cybersecurity of European countries. France and other European countries are expected to work more closely together to address such threats and take measures to strengthen their cybersecurity.
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