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Hackers target French blood banks in refrigeration attack

Summarised from 10 outlets · Updated 4 Nov, 15:52 · Archive

Hackers breached cold storage systems at three French blood bank sites, raising temperatures but causing no product losses.

Hackers attacked three cold storage facilities operated by France's national blood service, the French Blood Establishment (EFS), overnight on 1-2 November, raising temperature and defrosting thresholds to extremely high levels. The attack targeted Coolworld, a supplier of refrigeration equipment to the EFS, rather than the blood service directly. The facilities stored bags of plasma intended for transfusions and plasma used to manufacture medicines, along with blood samples.

Temperature and defrosting controls were programmed to reach dangerous levels. One outlet reported the freezers were set to 110°C instead of -30°C, though it remains unknown whether they actually reached such high temperatures. However, monitoring and alarm systems at the sites detected the anomalies quickly, allowing staff to take immediate action.

The EFS confirmed on Wednesday that no blood products or samples were lost in the attack. Affected blood stocks were either transferred to other facilities or secured in place, preventing any loss or contamination. Blood collection and distribution operations remained uninterrupted throughout the incident. The French health ministry stated that the situation was under control and closely monitored, with the safety of blood supplies preserved thanks to the facilities' monitoring systems and precautionary measures.

Coolworld said in a statement that the incident concerned a component supplied by a third-party provider not directly controlled by the company, and that only a 'limited number' of its units were affected. The French National Cybersecurity Agency (ANSSI) and the Ministry of Health are investigating the incident, though neither has yet identified those responsible or confirmed the origin of the attack.

The attack on the blood banks appears linked to a broader wave of cyberattacks on European refrigeration systems in recent weeks. Supermarket fridges in multiple European countries, including Belgium, Sweden, Finland, Estonia, Ireland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania, Germany, Italy and the UK, experienced similar attacks where hackers remotely raised temperatures, causing millions of euros of food spoilage. French supermarkets had been hit by a similar campaign approximately three weeks earlier, affecting as many as 700 stores.

In October 2026, Vincent Strubel, director general of France's cybersecurity agency ANSSI, issued a warning that refrigeration facilities—including those storing medical resources—could become targets of adversarial attacks. His warning proved prescient, as the blood bank attack occurred just weeks later. French digital minister Anne Le Hénanff said the attacks on refrigeration systems 'have directly targeted our economy and our supply chain' and suggested the objective may potentially be to 'undermine the unity of our country and to create anxiety among the population'.

Hackers target French blood banks in refrigeration attack
Image: France 24

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In this story: French Blood Establishment · France · Coolworld · ANSSI · Vincent Strubel

This summary was written by AI from the headlines and standfirsts above, and states as fact only what at least two outlets report. How we use AI · Report a problem · Corrections log