Hundreds of supermarkets in France were hit by a cyberattack that sent refrigerator temperatures soaring to 50 °C, destroying food. Now an AI researcher warns it could be a preview of something much worse.
Andreas Stuhlmüller, cofounder and CEO of Elicit, says it is plausible that within the next year AI-based cyberattacks could target the power grid, financial systems, internet infrastructure or water supplies. He is not only sounding the alarm: he recommends preparing to get through two weeks of major disruption, keeping cash on hand, storing drinking water and investing in backup power and internet access.
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What happened in France
The attack struck overnight on October 11 and 12, affecting hundreds of locations of major chains including Carrefour, Intermarché, Monoprix and Coopérative U. Hackers reportedly exploited vulnerabilities in internet-connected refrigeration controllers, remotely manipulating defrost cycles. Some units reportedly climbed to 50 °C. Refrigerated and frozen food spoiled, equipment was damaged and some stores reportedly caught fire. French Finance Minister Roland Lescure told Parliament about 700 of the country's 10,000 supermarkets were affected, and said there was no risk to food supplies. French authorities launched an investigation.
There is no confirmed evidence that AI was involved. But the mechanism is what makes the warning worth examining: attackers caused significant disruption through equipment many people never realised was connected to the internet.
Why AI could make attacks worse
Attacks on critical infrastructure are not new. What is changing is that AI systems can make some attacks faster, cheaper and easier to scale. Tools that already help analyse software, identify vulnerabilities and automate parts of security research could help malicious actors find poorly secured equipment across large numbers of connected systems. An attacker would not need an entirely new kind of attack; AI could speed up the search and the adaptation of known techniques.
The threat is not limited to refrigerators. Electricity, water treatment, banking and communications all depend on digital systems, though with very different architectures and security controls. The US agency CISA has previously warned about state-sponsored attackers compromising telecommunications networks and other important infrastructure.
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Stuhlmüller's one-year timeframe is a prediction, not an established forecast. There is no evidence that an AI-driven attack able to disable several of these services at once is imminent, and compromising one type of internet-connected controller does not mean attackers could easily take over a power grid or water utility.
The supplies he recommends
His advice is unusually specific. He suggests a few weeks of spending in cash in case ATMs and electronic payments fail. For internet, a Starlink Mini satellite terminal, around $150 plus $10 a month on standby, though it too needs power and a clear view of the sky. For power, a basic setup with a 1 kWh LiFePO4 battery and a 400 W folding solar panel, about $1,250; a larger one, about $5,000, adds a 4 kWh battery, three panels and a dual-fuel generator able to run a fridge, with runtime depending on consumption, weather and battery capacity. Generators must never be used inside a home or garage, and should sit at least 20 feet from doors and windows because of carbon monoxide risk. He also recommends at least 14 gallons of water per person and two weeks of shelf-stable food, plus a hand-crank NOAA emergency radio.
Who is involved and what comes next
The broader picture is already on institutions' desks. In Australia, the Australian Signals Directorate has warned that citizens should prepare for more basic online services to go offline unexpectedly, and that AI tools are needed to automate defences. It responded to 1,500 cyber incidents in 2025-26, up 20% on the previous year. The message is the same: system security must be prioritised over system availability.
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