Cyberattack Targets French Blood Banks' Cooling Systems
French blood banks successfully thwarted a cyberattack that attempted to sabotage plasma storage temperatures, with officials confirming no damage to medical supplies.
According to reports from Khaosod Online and the Associated Press, the French National Blood Institute (EFS) recently faced a cyberattack targeting the cooling systems at three of its plasma storage facilities. On November 2, unauthorized actors attempted to manipulate the temperature control systems, with reports suggesting an attempt to raise temperatures from the standard -30 degrees Celsius to 110 degrees Celsius. The EFS confirmed that their monitoring systems detected the anomaly immediately, allowing staff to intervene and secure the plasma supplies used for transfusions and medication production. The cooling equipment provider, Coolworld, has acknowledged the security incident. This event follows a series of similar cyberattacks across seven European countries, where supermarket refrigeration systems were remotely set to defrost mode, causing significant food spoilage. While the French incident resulted in no damage to blood products, it highlights a growing trend of cyber threats targeting critical infrastructure and industrial cooling systems. For residents and travelers in France, there is currently no reported impact on the availability of blood products or medical services. Authorities have not yet provided details on the perpetrators or the specific vulnerabilities exploited in the attack, and investigations into the security breach remain ongoing.
