French blood banks hit by cyberattack days after European freezer hacks

A cyberattack on French blood banks aimed to raise temperatures to dangerously high levels, but was prevented from causing any harm to blood products or samples, according to French authorities. This incident follows similar attacks on supermarkets' fridges and freezers across Europe, leading to significant food spoilage and financial losses.

The French Blood Establishment (EFS) reported that the attack occurred on Monday at three of its cold-storage sites for plasma, raising temperatures to extremely high levels. However, monitoring systems detected the issue promptly, allowing staff to take action and ensure no blood products or samples were compromised. The attack targeted a supplier of refrigeration equipment at three EFS sites, but no health consequences or blood product losses were reported.

Despite the incident, EFS stated that blood collection and distribution operations continued uninterrupted. The company supplying the refrigeration equipment, Coolworld, acknowledged the cyber threat but emphasized that the vulnerability was outside their control and that they were taking appropriate measures. This latest attack is part of a growing concern about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure and internet-connected consumer technology.

Earlier this week, a similar cyberattack targeted refrigeration systems in supermarkets, resulting in millions of dollars in losses and reduced sales for affected businesses.