France's national blood service (EFS) has confirmed that a cyberattack on a refrigeration equipment supplier changed temperature and defrost settings in cold-storage chambers at three of its facilities on November 2, raising them to extremely high levels. The chambers hold blood products before they go to hospitals, as well as biological samples.
According to BleepingComputer, EFS itself was not directly targeted. European refrigeration provider Coolworld Rentals confirmed that a cybersecurity incident involving remote monitoring software affected a limited number of its units, and said the attackers exploited a vulnerability in a third-party component.
EFS monitoring and alarm systems detected the change quickly, and staff fixed the equipment or moved products to other refrigerators. EFS says no blood products were lost, no health impact was identified, and collection and distribution continue normally. It is working with the national cybersecurity agency ANSSI and the Ministry of Health.
The incident follows a wave of attacks on refrigeration systems in Europe: in October, refrigeration was disrupted at an estimated 250 to 350 French supermarkets, and a second wave hit more than 115 stores in Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden and other countries.