Cyberattack targets French blood bank freezers with extreme heat settings
Hackers breached refrigeration systems serving France's national blood agency, attempting to heat plasma and blood sample freezers up to 110°C before staff intervened.
A cyberattack struck cold storage facilities serving France's national blood agency, the Établissement Français du Sang (EFS), targeting control systems at three storage sites holding donor blood samples and plasma. French authorities and EFS said the intrusion hit a third-party refrigeration service provider, identified in reports by Le Canard Enchaîné as contractor Coolworld, which maintains storage containers for the agency.[3][4][5][6]
The attackers reprogrammed deep-freeze units storing transfusion plasma from -30°C (-22°F) to 110°C (230°F), past the boiling point of water. Despite the extreme temperature settings, alarms alerted staff and technicians in time to relocate the supplies, and French authorities confirmed that no blood products or samples were damaged or compromised.[1][2][3][5][8]
France's Health Ministry reported that the incident caused no operational disruptions. The breach occurred as refrigeration cyberattacks hit multiple European countries, including separate incidents that forced supermarket retailers to discard spoiled food.[3][5][7]
Key facts
- Hackers breached control systems at three cold storage sites holding blood samples and plasma for France's national blood agency, Établissement Français du Sang (EFS).
- The breach targeted refrigeration contractor Coolworld, which maintains storage units for EFS, according to Le Canard Enchaîné.
- The attackers changed freezer settings from -30°C (-22°F) to 110°C (230°F), attempting to heat stored plasma past the boiling point of water.
- Alarms alerted personnel in time to move the plasma, preventing any damage or compromise to blood products.
- France's Health Ministry reported that the attack caused no operational impact.
- The incident occurred alongside broader refrigeration cyberattacks across Europe, including attacks that forced supermarkets to dispose of spoiled food.
Sources · 9 sources
- SE
SecurityWeek@SecurityWeekPost on X ·
Cyberattack Hits French Blood Bank Site but No Blood Products Are Compromised https://t.co/xXqdrFwUZG
Open source - CN
CBS News@CBSNewsPost on X ·
A cyberattack on several blood banks tried to raise temperatures to extremely high levels but was thwarted before it could do any damage to blood products or samples, French authorities said. https://t.co/9ptY0BkDZw
Open source - CB
Coin Bureau@coinbureauPost on X ·
BREAKING: Freezer CYBERATTACKS have now hit France's national BLOOD service, setting units to 110°C. Hackers reprogrammed freezers holding donor blood samples from -30°C to 110°C, a jump of 140 degrees, per Le Canard Enchaîné. They broke in through Coolworld, which maintains storage containers for the service, EFS. A technician caught the rising temperature in time, and France's Health Ministry says there was no operational impact. It comes as freezer hacks spread across Europe, though no link between the attacks has been confirmed.
Open source - TH
The Hindu@the_hinduPost on X ·
A major cyberattack targeted cold storage facilities of France’s national blood agency, Etablissement Francais du Sang (EFS), after hackers breached systems to remotely heat freezers holding donor blood samples and plasma. https://t.co/fInwyInoRH
Open source - BT
Bull Theory@BullTheoryioPost on X ·
BREAKING: 🇫🇷 Hackers broke into French blood bank refrigerators and tried to heat stored plasma to a boiling 110°C. No blood was lost because alarm systems caught the temperature change and staff moved the plasma in time. This is the third refrigerator hack in Europe in 3 weeks.
Open source - MT
MTS@MTSlivePost on X ·
SITUATION DETECTED: The EU refrigeration cyberattacks have escalated to medical infrastructure. Hackers breached Coolworld, a French national blood bank contractor, changing transfusion plasma deep-freeze temps from -30°C to 110°C. It was caught before the blood was boiled.
Open source - DE
Dexerto@DexertoPost on X ·
Hackers have targeted blood banks by causing freezers storing blood plasma to reach a staggering 230F Cyberattacks also targeted supermarket fridges, forcing retailers to throw away spoiled food https://t.co/DEd6nXM7gA
Open source - TE
TechRadar@techradarPost on X ·
Cyberattack hits France’s critical blood stocks — hackers push freezer settings from -22F to 230F amid warnings over 'unprecedented' threat https://t.co/axdN4S7y2i
Open source - PO
Polymarket@PolymarketPost on X ·
BREAKING: Hackers target blood banks in France, attempting to raise plasma freezer temperatures to a scorching 230°F, above the boiling point of water.
Open source