Hackers raise French blood bank freezers to 110°C, no products lost
A cyberattack on EFS's refrigeration contractor Coolworld pushed blood and plasma storage temperatures toward 110°C, part of a wider wave hitting European supermarket fridges.
What to know
- Hackers breached a refrigeration contractor (Coolworld) serving France's blood service and raised temperatures at three cold stores from roughly -30°C toward 110°C.
- Alarm systems let technicians intervene before plasma and other blood products were damaged; EFS says it was not directly targeted and moved stock to other sites.
- The intrusion follows a broader wave of cyberattacks on supermarket refrigeration across roughly a dozen European countries, causing millions of euros in spoiled food.
- No group has claimed responsibility; EU officials and a Sophos analyst say possibilities range from state-linked sabotage to a lone hacker, while some reports point to the pro-Russian group NoName.
The dispute Whether the attacks represent confirmed Russian state-sponsored sabotage or remain an unattributed incident wrongly assumed to be Russian. · positions read across 48 posts and comments
Critical refrigeration and medical infrastructure should never be internet-connected; this is a basic, foreseeable security failure.
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“Fridges shouldn't be on the internet, doubly so when it's one storing vital medical supplies.”
RobotToaster · Hacker News ↗
This looks like Russian state-sponsored sabotage targeting food, money and now blood supplies across Europe.
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“If Russia is trying to ensure that we have no food, no money and no blood to save lives, we can only presume they are preparing to attack us!”
lifelearner47.eurosky.social · Bluesky ↗
Attribution to Russia or any specific actor is unconfirmed and premature.
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“It's too early and I skimmed it, but did I miss where they confirmed it was Russia?”
PapayaJuiceBox · Reddit ↗
Engineering fixes like data diodes, air-gapping, or read-only monitoring are cheap and should be mandatory for this kind of equipment.
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“This is easily fixed with data diodes... making it physical impossible to send data to the equipment.”
tedggh · Hacker News ↗
“state-based signalling and demonstration of capability”
Rafe Pilling, Senior director for threat intelligence, Sophos · The Guardian ↗ · Nov 3
Établissement Français du Sang (EFS) French national blood transfusion serviceCoolworld Refrigeration contractor for EFSThomas Regnier EU spokespersonRafe Pilling Senior director for threat intelligence, SophosNoName (pro-Russian hacker group) Suspected actorLe Canard Enchaîné French newspaper
How it unfolded 4 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlespostscomments
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background
Coverage frames attacks as pan-European cold-storage campaign — Roundup reporting grouped the blood bank intrusion with the earlier supermarket freezer attacks as a single pattern of cyberattacks on cold storage across Europe.
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AP and outlets confirm no blood products were compromised
Follow-up reporting reiterated that France's cybersecurity agency (ANSSI) and health ministry were involved and that no biomaterial was lost, while noting a related cyberattack had also hit a regional Crédit Mutuel bank branch.
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23 outlets New cyberattack targets French blood banks
first by Le Monde EN, 4d ago · also Newsweek, Euronews, Straits Times, SiliconANGLE, GB News, Security Affairs +16
20 more headlines
- Cyberattacks Target French Blood Banks After Supermarkets Hit Newsweek · 4d ago
- Cyberattack hits French blood banks but no samples compromised, officials say Inbox.eu · 4d ago
- New cyberattack targets French blood banks, health ministry says Straits Times · 4d ago
- Cyberattack targets French blood banks, sending cold stores soaring in temperature TheJournal.ie · 3d ago
- French blood banks hacked amid ‘deeply concerning’ wave of fridge and freezer cyberattacks in Europe SiliconANGLE · 3d ago
- Hackers target French blood banks in latest cyberattack plaguing Europe GB News · 3d ago
- Cyberattack Hits French Blood Banks as Hackers Target Refrigeration Systems Across Europe Security Affairs · 3d ago
- Cyberattack hits French blood bank site but no blood products were compromised Associated Press · 3d ago
- Cyberattack on French blood bank fridges thwarted before damage to products and samples Associated Press · 3d ago
- Cyberattack hits French blood banks Help Net Security · 3d ago
- Blood banks targeted in latest European fridge cyberattacks CNBC · 3d ago
- French blood banks foil new cyberattack targeting refrigerators France 24 EN · 3d ago
- Europe's Freezers Keep Being Hit by Cyberattacks. A French Blood Bank Was Now Hit. Yahoo · 3d ago
- French blood banks face cyberattack, no blood damaged UPI · 3d ago
- French blood banks targeted by refrigerator cyberattack Deutsche Welle EN · 3d ago
- Cyberattack targets French blood banks Arab News · 3d ago
- France: Cyberattack targets blood bank refrigerators DW.com · 3d ago
- Blood banks hit by cyberattack in France days after European freezer hacks CBS News · 3d ago
- French blood banks hit by cyberattack days after European freezer hacks CBS News · 3d ago
- French blood banks hit alongside cyberattack on European supermarkets Channel News Asia · 3d ago
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9 outlets first by France 24 EN, 3d ago · also SecurityWeek, Orlando Sentinel, Baltimore Sun, Mercury News, AP News, Associated Press +2 · read ↗
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# hackers # hacking # cyberwar "French blood banks targeted by refrigerator cyberattack A cyberattack had attempted to destroy blood plasma by raising the temperatures in cold storage facilities past the boiling point. Blood banks in France were included among cyberattacks that hit refrigeration systems in several European countries on Sunday and…
2 more of the top 3 · 6 posts in this stretch
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I mean this is such a russian thing to do - try to kill children. Like they do every day in Ukraine.
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Hackers target French blood banks in latest freezer attack — as UK cybersecurity chief warns of 'sliding doors' moment for 'unprecedented' threat https://www. techradar.com/computing/cyberc rime/hackers-target-french-blood-banks-in-latest-freezer-attack-as-uk-cybersecurity-chief-warns-of-sliding-doors-moment-for-unprecedented-threat?utm_source=flip…
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Pro-Russian hacker group NoName floated as possible culprit
A BBC report cited by social media pointed to the pro-Russian hacker group NoName, with links alleged to the Kremlin, as a possible actor behind the refrigeration attacks, though no official attribution has been confirmed.
“latest reports talk about the pro-Russian hacker group Noname, which has links to the Kremlin. If Russia is trying to ensure that we have no food, no money and no blood to save lives, we can only presume they are preparing to attack us!”
— lifelearner47.eurosky.social -
6 outlets Cyber attack hits French blood banks but no blood products compromised - ABC News & Headlines
first by Australian Broadcasting Corporation, 3d ago · also ABC Australia, Semafor, The New Daily, China Daily Global Edition, ZeroHedge
5 more headlines
- Cyber attack hits French blood banks but no blood products compromised ABC Australia · 3d ago
- Cyberattacks in Europe target supermarkets, blood banks Semafor · 3d ago
- French blood banks targeted in Europe cyber attack The New Daily · 3d ago
- France's blood bank hit by cyberattack China Daily Global Edition · 3d ago
- Cyberattack Targets French Blood Bank Fridges ZeroHedge · 3d ago
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latest reports talk about the pro-Russian hacker group Noname, which has links to the Kremlin. If Russia is trying to ensure that we have no food, no money and no blood to save lives, we can only presume they are preparing to attack us!
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EFS confirms attack, EU calls for collective cyber response
EFS said thresholds were raised to 'very high levels' but alarms let technicians intervene before any products were compromised; affected stock was moved to other sites. EU spokesperson Thomas Regnier said agencies were holding urgent talks with national authorities, and Sophos analyst Rafe Pilling floated state signalling or a lone hacker as plausible explanations.
“These are not isolated incidents and of course we have to be collectively resilient and prepared for such cyber incidents…”
— Thomas Regnier, EU spokesperson -
first by PCMag, 3d ago · also Sky News, ITPro, TechRadar, Telegraph, HN Frontpage, Guardian +2
6 more headlines
- Cyber attack threatens French blood banks Sky News · 3d ago
- French blood service hit by cyber attack threatening to turn stocks into “black pudding” ITPro · 3d ago
- Hackers target French blood banks in latest freezer attack amid UK warnings TechRadar · 3d ago
- Hackers hit French national blood bank Telegraph · 3d ago
- French blood banks hacked in latest cyber-attack on Europe The Guardian · 3d ago
- Hackers crack French blood banks, attempt to boil blood at 230 degrees in sick attack NY Post · 3d ago
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Cyberattack on France’s national blood service (EFS) via its refrigeration contractor Coolworld. Hackers reset freezers keeping blood donor samples at -30°C to a target of 110°C. The thing that stopped it from destructive impact was an on-call technician who noticed the temperatures going up. Frozen plasma intended for transfusion was stored there…
2 more of the top 3 · 39 posts in this stretch
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Tak už víme, proč se rozcvičovali na kuřatech v supermarketech. Schválně, co ještě se bude muset stát, než někdo přijde s tou brilantní myšlenkou, že by se mrazáky nemusely ovládat přes internet?
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I think this is probably something good to happen because what it is not normal, is that a company, any company, can sell you a half assed product, call it End Of Life with flagrant issues still happening, clean their hands, and leave you with the problem or having to buy another product, with the environmental cost of it plus the economical cost…
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Le Canard Enchaîné report breaks on social media
Social accounts began circulating the French satirical paper's report that blood samples were heated to 110°C from a maintained -30°C, spreading the story widely before official confirmation.
“JUST IN: 🇫🇷 French blood bank hit by cyber attack with blood samples being heated to 110 degrees Celsius from their maintained -30, per Le Canard Enchaîné.”
— @Megatron_ron -
JUST IN: 🇫🇷 French blood bank hit by cyber attack with blood samples being heated to 110 degrees Celsius from their maintained -30, per Le Canard Enchaîné.
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background
Hackers breach EFS contractor, push cold stores toward 110°C — Overnight, attackers accessed control systems at a refrigeration contractor (Coolworld) serving France's blood service, raising temperature and defrost thresholds at three cold stores holding blood and plasma from roughly -30°C toward 110°C.
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background
European supermarket fridges and freezers hacked, food spoils — Retailers in Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden reported refrigeration failures, followed a day later by Italy, Germany, Romania and the UK, with temperatures reaching 50°C and millions of euros of food damage.
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background
Hackers seize cooling units at 700 French supermarkets — A prior wave of attacks in France compromised refrigeration controls at as many as 700 supermarkets, an earlier instance of the same tactic later used against blood banks.
Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet
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first by NewsMax.com, 3d ago · also BBC
2 more headlines
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first by Times of India, 4d ago · also The Record
2 more headlines
- French Blood Service Cold Rooms Hit by Cyberattack After Supermarket Refrigeration Hacks Political.org · 3d ago
- French blood service hit by Europe-wide cyberattacks on refrigeration The Record · 3d ago
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first by CNBC, 3d ago · also BleepingComputer
1 more headline
- Cyberattack disrupts blood storage refrigeration systems in France Mastodon · 3d ago
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first by The Cyber Express, 3d ago · also Business Insider
1 more headline
- Hackers tried to literally boil blood in France Business Insider · 3d ago
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first by Anadolu Ajansı, 4d ago · also Anadolu Agency
and 6 smaller pieces
What people are saying 17 voices from 5 sites · best of 48 · verbatim
- Who is actually responsible — a state actor, a criminal group, or a lone hacker?
- Why were vital blood-bank refrigeration systems connected to the internet at all, given the earlier supermarket attacks?
- Nov 4
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You can learn from TSMC or power grid networks. These networks are highly secure and must be separated into internal and external networks. There shouldn't even be any chance for the external network to access the internal network.Of course, physical ports are also a risk, but they're easier to detect. At least someone has to come in.
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Using the freezers for meat probably wouldn't result in anything bad happening, especially if you clear out and sanitize before. Using the incubators for your lunch is how you get food poisoning.
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RE: https:// mastodon.social/@LukaszOlejnik /117556894144490116 This shouldn’t be seen as a situation where to celebrate an on-call technician, but as one where people above them must be severely questioned about leaving a widely exploited zero-day vulnerability in their infrastructure.
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I am no expert here but what the heck are "vital blood bank refrigerators" doing on the internet??? https://www. theguardian.com/technology/202 6/nov/04/france-national-blood-service-hack-cyber-attack-europe # DigitalSecurity # infrastructure
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What I want to know is: in the French blood bank case, were the fridges connected to the Internet (unfirewalled/VPNed)?
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Temperature controls were altered at three of France’s national blood service sites this week amid a wave of cyberattacks affecting refrigeration systems across Europe. https:// therecord.media/france-cyberat tack-blood-refrigeration
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So I worked for a company who's product was sensor networks for this exact situation, and the European company who bought us had a cloud-only solution they wanted to replace our on-premise product with. Thankfully most hospitals and research institutions in the states are smart enough to reject cloud-based solutions for this exact reason. In…
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Yes, especially after this has now been happening again and again. First case can be excused as usual bad practices and lazyness. But it should have been a wake up call causing anyone else operating commercial freezers (or even other equipment) to review if/how they are connected to the Internet. Anyone getting hit now is maliciously incompetent.
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Not only freezers, but a lot of other appliances have become IoT-integrated to simplify inspection procedures. Instead of the health department looking at each freezer/smoke detector/gas detector/emergency floodlight individually, you can just present them with a report from your building's safety system. Older systems were mostly some industrial…
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The advent of AI and its ability to find vulnerabilities so quickly is getting out of hand. Yesterday it was supermarket fridges now its fridges that store blood, they should never have been connected to the internet in the first place especially in these times with AI, but all of Europe needs to invest more into their cyber security systems they…
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This is a very serious escalation which endangers the lives of many people who depend on blood plasma. Rather than asking the usual and downright silly question of 'who was behind this', European citizens are expecting swift and strong retaliation against the russian aggressor and its allies for this attack! https:// cybersecuritynews.com/french-b…
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Never understood why hackers dont go after the rich. Some rich are dumb as anything and also loaded so surely if hackers want money theres an easy target. Unless these hackers are state hackers ie russian and israeli. Trying to manipulate french politics
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I get that. But it is not really necessary. It cuts costs and some headache for the short term, but exposes critical infrastructure to hackers. Maybe 20-30% decrease in costs. That shouldn't be a thing to chase for something like Blood Plasma storages. But yeah, what can we say.
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Surveillance and adjustement in temperature in a industrial level, saves time and is more accessible, you have a better understanding of your stock, it's very normal. Now why a blood fridge can go to 110°C that is a good question
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This was explained in another thread. Huge systems need to coordinate when to use the compressors because they all can’t at the same time. Also these don’t need to be public facing systems they should be isolated from the internet. These are just lazy installs
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Das mit den Lebensmitteln in den Supermärkten ist eine Schande und ein großer wirtschaftlicher Schaden. Aber das ist eine völlig andere Liga, denn hier geht es um Menschenleben.
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The freezer hardware doesn’t know it can use defroster heaters to increase the temperature. It just turns them on when a defrosting cycle starts, and the cools down to the set temperature when the cycle ends. If you set the temperature from -30 to 0, it’s just going to turn off the refrigeration until it gets to 0. It won’t go into a false defrost…