Hackers have targeted blood banks in France by programming freezers storing blood plasma to reach a staggering 110C (230F), following a wave of similar cyberattacks on supermarkets across Europe.
The cyberattack struck three cold-storage facilities operated by the French Blood Establishment (EFS) on November 2, with attackers reportedly attempting to raise temperatures from their normal -30C (-22F) to well above boiling point.
According to The Independent, the attack was detected before any blood products were damaged, preventing what could have been a devastating loss of medical supplies.
The incident comes just days after hackers targeted supermarket fridges across Europe, forcing retailers to throw away large quantities of spoiled food.
Hackers attempt to boil blood supplies in cyberattack
French publication Le Canard Enchaîné first reported the attack, revealing that hackers had reprogrammed refrigeration equipment used to store plasma intended for transfusions and medical treatments.
“Temperatures and defrosting thresholds were raised to extremely high levels,” EFS confirmed in a statement.
DexertoFortunately, the facility’s monitoring and alarm systems detected the suspicious changes before the freezers could reach the programmed temperatures.
“No health consequences have been identified, and no blood products were lost,” EFS said.
According to the Associated Press, staff were able to secure or relocate the affected plasma, allowing blood collection and distribution services to continue without interruption.
The attack reportedly involved equipment supplied by refrigeration company Coolworld, which blamed the security vulnerability on a component from a third-party supplier.
French cybersecurity authorities and the country’s Health Ministry are investigating the incident. It remains unclear whether the attack is directly connected to the supermarket incidents or who was responsible.
XThe attempted sabotage follows an October cyberattack that saw supermarket freezers reach 122F, destroying food supplies at hundreds of stores in France.
The damage has been substantial. Dutch supermarket operator Ahold Delhaize warned that the earlier attacks could reduce its fourth-quarter sales by as much as €250 million.
The growing threat has also caught the attention of US authorities. On November 5, the FBI and Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency warned of ongoing attacks against refrigeration systems, including the potential for spoiled inventory and fires.
I’m Abhishek Sharma, an author at TigerJek.com. I enjoy exploring games, testing different strategies, and turning what I learn into clear, useful guides. My goal is to help players understand the game better and improve without the usual confusion.
