AI illustration by The Wick Worldwide.
A Nov. 2 cyberattack altered refrigeration settings at three French blood service facilities that store plasma. The French Blood Establishment, known as EFS, said monitoring systems detected the changes in time for staff to move or secure the stored products.
The affected equipment was supplied by Coolworld. French newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné reported that the attackers tried to set temperatures as high as 110°C (230°F). That number refers to a reported target setting. EFS said no blood products or samples were compromised and that collection and distribution continued.
The sites stored plasma for transfusions and for manufacturing medicines. France’s national cybersecurity agency and health ministry are investigating, the Associated Press reported.