{
  "id": 18103851,
  "title": "Blood banks among victims of European cyber attacks",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/04/blood-banks-among-victims-of-european-cyber-attacks-18103851",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-11-04T09:25:17.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The National UAE",
    "slug": "the-national-uae",
    "url": "https://www.thenationalnews.com/news/europe/2026/11/04/blood-banks-among-victims-of-european-cyber-attacks/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A coordinated cyber assault targeting European supermarkets also infiltrated cold storage facilities managed by France's national blood service, according to recent reports. Malicious actors manipulated refrigeration units responsible for preserving blood samples, raising their temperatures to an alarming 110C. As supermarkets grappling with the aftermath of the second wave of attacks intensified efforts to bolster their defenses, the European Union's cybersecurity landscape remains under strain.\n\nCoolworld, a French company responsible for storing blood sample containers in a health monitoring system utilized by the French Blood Establishment (EFS), was among the entities compromised in the recent breach. The temperature anomaly was promptly identified, averting any significant operational repercussions thanks to France's Health Ministry.\n\nIn response, Sweden's Coop supermarket chain decided to transition to 5G networks and modern modems, abandoning 4G connections, a strategy that had already commenced following the French incident. The seven supermarkets affected by the attack have since resumed operations, but their refrigeration systems have been disconnected from the internet as a precautionary measure.\n\nDanfoss, a software provider whose systems were also targeted, has been actively collaborating with customers to mitigate the situation, advising them to disconnect their refrigerator controllers from the internet. Cybersecurity expert Frank Groenewegen emphasized the importance of retailers promptly identifying vulnerable systems, verifying their internet connectivity, and ensuring they have the latest security updates and manufacturer support.\n\nThe magnitude of the cyberattacks on retail establishments across multiple European countries highlights the critical need for enhanced European cooperation, swift information sharing, and unified responses to cyber incidents. The EU cybersecurity agency ENISA underscored this point, emphasizing the increasing likelihood of frequent disruptions as outdated technology struggles to keep pace with advancing hacking techniques.",
  "summary": "A cyber attack which targeted European supermarkets also hit cold storage facilities used by France’s national blood service, it has emerged. Hackers accessed control units for fridges containing blood samples and programmed them to raise to temperatures of 110C, local media reported. Supermarkets that fell victim in the second wave of cyberattacks were rushing to upgrade their systems and…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}