Cyberattack targets refrigeration systems at three French blood banks

A cyberattack targeted refrigeration systems at three regional facilities of the French Blood Establishment (EFS) overnight between Sunday and Monday, according to the French Health Ministry.

"Several regional facilities of the French Blood Establishment were affected by a cybersecurity incident that impacted certain cold storage room monitoring and control systems," the French Health Ministry said in a statement.

Staff received alerts and moved blood products to refrigerators not connected to the compromised systems. EFS spokesperson Charley Dubois told Reuters: "We have staff round the clock since blood can be needed at any time. They were warned about the problems by alerts and moved the blood to other refrigerators that were not connected."

The Health Ministry said the situation was under control by Wednesday and that remote access to the affected refrigeration systems had been disabled. Investigations are underway into how the attack was carried out, which equipment may have been affected, and when the systems can safely return to service.

Blood supplies unaffected

The EFS confirmed that no blood products were lost and that collection and distribution operations continued without interruption. France 24 reported that the cold stores contained blood samples as well as bags of plasma intended for transfusions and the manufacture of medicines.

French magazine Le Canard Enchaine first reported that the cold stores were programmed to reach 110C instead of -30C, according to France 24. The EFS said there had been "no health impact" and that "no loss of blood products" had been reported.

Wider European incidents

The blood bank attack coincided with cyberattacks targeting supermarket refrigeration systems in eight European countries, forcing retailers to discard large quantities of food. In Belgium and Luxembourg, approximately 40 Delhaize supermarkets were affected, while other incidents were reported in Sweden, Ireland, the Netherlands, Estonia and Finland, according to the BBC.

The attacks reportedly caused some refrigeration systems to enter defrost mode, raising temperatures and spoiling refrigerated products. The incidents followed a major cyberattack on French supermarkets last month, when hackers manipulated refrigeration systems at hundreds of stores, forcing retailers to discard large amounts of perishable food. Major chains including Carrefour, Monoprix, Les Mousquetaires, E. Leclerc and Coopérative U were affected by that incident.

France’s national cybersecurity agency and the Health Ministry are investigating the blood bank incident. The supplier Coolworld acknowledged the cybersecurity incident and said the vulnerability stemmed from a third-party component outside its direct control.

Why it matters

The attack shows how cyber intrusions against operational technology can threaten physical conditions required to preserve medical supplies. Staff intervention and independent refrigerators prevented blood product losses, but authorities are investigating whether the incidents share an operator, infrastructure or motive. No group has claimed responsibility, and there is currently insufficient evidence to attribute the French blood-bank incident to a state-sponsored actor or to classify it as part of a coordinated hybrid campaign.

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Sources

• foxbusiness.com: France blood bank cyberattack hits cold storage refrigeration systems | Fox Business
• europeaninterest.eu: Cyberattack targets French blood bank
• securityaffairs.com: Cyberattack Hits French Blood Banks as Hackers Target Refrigeration Systems Across Europe
• france24.com: French blood banks foil new cyberattack targeting refrigerators - France 24
• dig.watch: Cyberattack targets French Blood Banks
• tvpworld.com: French blood banks hit as hackers target refrigerators across Europe

This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.