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France Blood Bank Cyberattack: Hackers Tried to Raise Freezer Temperature to 110°C

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Alam Ki Khabar | Bihar News | Patna News | Samastipur News | Hackers targeted France’s blood storage refrigeration systems, attempting to raise temperatures to 110°C. Alarm systems detected the attack in time, preventing damage to plasma supplies.

November 5, 2026, Alam Ki Khabar: A major cyberattack targeting France’s blood storage facilities has raised fresh concerns about the security of internet-connected medical equipment. Hackers reportedly attempted to manipulate the temperature settings of plasma storage freezers, trying to increase the temperature from around minus 30 degrees Celsius to as high as 110 degrees Celsius.


The attack was detected in time by the monitoring and alarm systems, allowing staff to take immediate action. As a result, no blood products or plasma samples were damaged, and the country’s blood supply operations continued without interruption.


Hackers Targeted Three Blood Storage Facilities


France’s national blood service, the French Blood Establishment (Établissement Français du Sang or EFS), confirmed that refrigeration control systems at three of its facilities were affected by a cybersecurity incident.


The incident took place overnight from November 1 to November 2. The affected facilities were used to store plasma intended for blood transfusions as well as plasma required for the manufacture of medicines.


According to reports by French weekly newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné, the attackers attempted to raise the freezer temperature to 110 degrees Celsius. However, EFS has not independently confirmed this exact temperature figure.


Alarm System Prevented Damage to Blood Supplies


The refrigeration monitoring system detected unusual changes in temperature and defrost settings. This gave technicians enough time to respond before the stored products were affected.


EFS said the affected equipment was either brought under control or taken out of service. Plasma stocks were also transferred to other storage facilities as a precaution.


The organisation confirmed that no blood products or biological samples were lost. It also reported no impact on patients, blood collection or distribution services.


How Did Hackers Gain Access?


The incident has highlighted security weaknesses in remotely controlled refrigeration equipment.


Such systems are commonly used in cold-storage facilities, laboratories and supermarkets. Electronic controllers monitor temperatures and allow authorised technicians to adjust settings remotely for maintenance and operational purposes.


However, when these devices are connected directly to the internet or operate with outdated software and weak security settings, they can become vulnerable to cyberattacks.


Reports have raised concerns about default passwords and security weaknesses in refrigeration controllers. However, the exact method used to access the affected blood storage systems has not been officially established.


The refrigeration equipment supplier Coolworld said the reported vulnerability involved a component provided by a third party and was outside its direct control.


France Had Already Warned About Refrigeration System Vulnerabilities


France’s national cybersecurity agency, CERT-FR, had previously warned about security weaknesses in refrigeration controllers, including devices exposed directly to the internet.


The warning highlighted the risks associated with outdated software and inadequate protection of remote-access systems.


The latest incident has brought renewed attention to the importance of securing equipment that controls essential services, particularly medical storage facilities.


European Supermarkets Also Hit by Freezer Cyberattacks


The attack on France’s blood storage facilities comes amid a wider wave of cyber incidents involving refrigeration systems across Europe.


In October, around 700 French supermarkets were reportedly affected by attacks on their refrigeration equipment. Hackers allegedly manipulated cooling settings and activated defrost functions, causing temperatures to rise and large quantities of frozen food to spoil.


A second wave of incidents was reported in early November across several European countries, including Belgium, the Netherlands, Sweden, Ireland, Estonia and Luxembourg. Retailers were forced to remove chilled and frozen products from sale in affected stores.


The incidents have caused significant concern among retailers and cybersecurity authorities.


Pro-Russian Hacker Groups Claim Involvement, but Responsibility Remains Unclear


Two pro-Russian hacker groups, NoName057(16) and Z-Pentest Alliance, reportedly claimed responsibility for attacks on European refrigeration technology in online posts.


The groups also claimed to have targeted equipment associated with Danish technology company Danfoss.


However, their claims have not been independently verified. Authorities have not officially established that these groups were responsible for the attacks on French supermarkets or blood storage facilities.


Investigators are examining the incidents, and it remains unclear whether all the attacks were part of a single coordinated campaign or involved different actors.


A Serious Warning for Connected Medical Infrastructure


The incident in France demonstrates how a cyberattack on seemingly ordinary equipment can threaten essential medical supplies.


Although the alarm systems prevented damage this time, the incident has exposed the potential risks associated with internet-connected refrigeration and temperature-control equipment.


Cybersecurity experts have repeatedly stressed the importance of changing default passwords, updating software and restricting remote access to sensitive systems.


For France’s blood service, the immediate threat was contained. But the incident has raised a wider question about how securely hospitals, laboratories and other critical facilities protect their connected equipment.


Read more news at Alam Ki Khabar.

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