Blood Bank Cyberattack: Temperatures Spiked Before Intervention
French officials stopped a hack that pushed plasma storage units to 230 degrees Fahrenheit, preventing the loss of medical supplies while a related supermarket attack costs retailers millions.
By Madison Lewis ·
French healthcare providers avoided a potential loss of blood products after a cyberattack targeted the refrigeration systems of three plasma storage sites. Authorities intervened on Monday to stop remote temperature adjustments that threatened to ruin medical supplies. The incident forced staff to secure plasma bags and samples that would otherwise have been exposed to extreme heat.
The French Blood Establishment, known as EFS, issued a statement late Tuesday confirming the breach. According to the report, attackers raised temperature and defrosting thresholds to very high levels. Under normal conditions, these units operate at minus 30 degrees Celsius, or minus 22 degrees Fahrenheit. Le Canard Enchaîné, which first reported the event, noted that temperatures climbed to 110 degrees Celsius, or 230 degrees Fahrenheit, before controls were reestablished.
The EFS stated that monitoring and alarm systems detected the anomalies quickly. Staff then took action to ensure no blood products or samples were compromised. The affected items included plasma intended for transfusions and plasma used to manufacture medicines. The organization confirmed that collection and distribution operations continue without interruption for hospitals and other healthcare providers.
The vulnerability originated with Coolworld, a supplier of refrigeration equipment. The company said the issue involved a component from a third-party supplier that was outside its direct control. Coolworld stated that only a limited number of units were affected and that it is implementing appropriate measures. France’s national cybersecurity agency and the Health Ministry are currently investigating the incident.
This attack mirrors a previous episode in mid-October that targeted fridges and freezers at hundreds of stores across France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. That earlier disruption resulted in tons of spoiled food and costs estimated in the millions of euros. The pattern suggests a focused effort to exploit refrigeration infrastructure across Europe.
Dutch supermarket chain Ahold Delhaize, which was hit in the earlier incident, provided updated financial projections on Wednesday. CEO Franz Muller said the cyberattack is expected to reduce fourth-quarter sales by as much as 250 million euros, or 281 million dollars. Operating income for the period could drop by up to 100 million euros.
Muller noted that while most disruption was contained within two weeks, work continues to restore normal operations. The company had taken some systems offline, including websites and apps for its brands in Europe and the United States. Muller described cyber threats as an increasingly harsh reality of doing business today.
