Cyberattack disrupts refrigeration controls at French blood banks

Three regional French blood banks were hit by a cyberattack that disrupted the monitoring and control of refrigerated storage facilities used by the French Blood Establishment (EFS). The French Health Ministry said the incident affected “several regional facilities of the French Blood Establishment (EFS)” and specifically impacted certain cold storage room monitoring systems, with staff alerted to move blood products to refrigerators not connected to the affected systems. Reuters, citing the health ministry, reported that the attack had no impact on blood supplies.

Authorities described a rapid operational response: staff worked around the clock and relocated products to unaffected units, while remote access to the compromised refrigeration controls was disabled. The Health Ministry said the situation was under control as investigations continued to determine how attackers gained access, which equipment was affected, and when systems could be safely restored.

The incident occurred as European supermarkets reported similar assaults on refrigeration systems, underscoring concerns about the broader vulnerability of operational technology and remote management platforms used for cold-chain infrastructure. The European Union has previously flagged risks to connected infrastructure amid security tensions, and officials stress that cyber threats to physical systems can threaten public safety as much as data security.

The investigation is ongoing, with authorities seeking to establish the attack vector and the full scope of affected equipment before declaring systems safe to return to service.