Blood banks among victims of European cyber attacks

Cyber attacks targeting European supermarkets and cold storage facilities resulted in the compromise of blood banks, according to recent wire material. Hackers accessed control units of fridges storing blood samples, programming them to a temperature of 110C. Supermarkets in eight European countries had to discard large amounts of food after the attack, which mirrored a similar incident in France three weeks prior.

Coolworld, a company involved in storing containers for the French Blood Establishment, was among the affected firms. The temperature increase from the usual -30C was detected in time, with no operational consequences due to early detection reported by France's Health Ministry. Sweden's Coop supermarket chain is transitioning to 5G networks and modern modems, disconnecting refrigeration systems from the internet to enhance security.

Software provider Danfoss, another victim of the cyberattacks, advised customers to remove vulnerable systems from the public internet. Experts recommend retailers to identify potential vulnerabilities, ensure systems are updated, and disconnect from the internet if necessary. The EU cybersecurity agency ENISA emphasized the importance of European cooperation and rapid information-sharing in addressing cyber incidents.

In Britain, hackers attempted to target small meat-processing firms, but the impact was minimal. Cybersecurity expert Frank Groenewegen from Deloitte in The Hague stressed the need for retailers to act promptly and safeguard their systems.