Hackers targeted refrigeration equipment at three French blood bank sites, attempting to raise temperatures, but no blood products were lost according to the EFS.
A cyberattack targeted the refrigeration equipment used by France’s national blood service, the Établissement français du sang (EFS), at three cold-storage sites. The incident occurred overnight between November 1 and 2, 2026.
The EFS stated that monitoring and control systems for cold storage rooms at three sites were affected, with temperature and defrosting thresholds raised to "very high levels." The targeted units contained plasma intended for transfusions, plasma used to manufacture medicines, and blood samples used for transfusion monitoring.
According to the EFS, "No health consequences have been identified, and no blood products were lost." The organization stated that "Monitoring and alarm systems quickly detected the anomalies, allowing staff to take action to ensure that no blood products or samples were compromised."
The attack targeted equipment maintained by Coolworld, a refrigeration supplier and service provider for the EFS. Coolworld issued a statement saying it is aware of the incident and that it "concerns a component supplied by a third-party provider and not directly controlled by Coolworld." The company noted that only a "limited number" of its units were affected.
While some reports, citing the French weekly Le Canard enchaîné, alleged that attackers attempted to change temperature settings from approximately -30°C to 110°C, this specific temperature swing remains unconfirmed by official EFS or government statements.
The incident follows a wave of cyberattacks targeting supermarket refrigerators across Europe. These attacks have been reported in at least six countries, including Sweden, Belgium, Luxembourg, Ireland, Italy, and Estonia. In those instances, remote access to controls was compromised, causing temperatures to rise and leading to food spoilage.
France's digital minister, Anne Le Hénanff, stated in the Senate that these attacks "have directly targeted our economy and our supply chain" and suggested the objective may be to "undermine the unity of our country and to create anxiety among the population."
France’s national cybersecurity agency, ANSSI, is investigating the incident. ANSSI has previously issued security alerts regarding remote controllers from Danfoss (AK-SM and AK-SC Series), Copeland (xweb), and Dixell (xweb), though it has not explicitly stated if these specific models were used in the EFS incident.
Authorities have not identified the attackers or established a specific motive for the breach.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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