Hackers Attempt to Ruin French Blood Supply by Manipulating Freezer Temperatures
Cyber attackers targeted French blood banks by attempting to raise freezer temperatures to 110°C. Authorities thwarted the breach safely.
POLICY WIRE — Paris, France — Critical healthcare infrastructure in France has become the latest target of a sophisticated cyber operation aimed at compromising life-saving medical supplies.
French authorities confirmed that a coordinated attack on multiple blood banks attempted to drive storage temperatures to dangerous levels. However, the attempt was intercepted before any blood samples or products were damaged.
The breach occurred between November 1 and November 2, 2026, targeting the Établissement français du sang (EFS), the nation’s primary blood service.
According to reports from the French weekly Le Canard enchaine, the hackers gained access through refrigeration equipment managed by Coolworld, a service provider for the EFS.
The intruders reportedly manipulated the cooling settings of industrial freezers, attempting to spike the temperature from a standard −30°C to a scorching 110°C.
The incident highlights a growing trend of cyber threats targeting refrigeration installations across Europe, threatening the integrity of vital plasma and blood samples.
Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)
