French blood banks hacked in latest cyber-attack on Europe
Hackers accessed control systems at three French blood storage facilities, raising temperatures to dangerous levels in the latest of a series of European cyber-attacks targeting refrigeration systems.
The French blood service (EFS) confirmed that hackers accessed control systems at three cold stores storing vital blood products, including plasma bags for transfusions and medicine manufacturing. The attackers raised temperature and defrosting thresholds to "very high levels," though technicians intervened before the products were compromised.
Widespread European Attacks
The incident follows a wave of cyber-attacks on refrigeration systems across Europe. On Tuesday, retailers in Italy, Germany, Romania and the UK reported refrigerator temperatures soaring to 50C (122F), causing millions of euros in food damage. Similar problems had been reported in Belgium, Estonia, Ireland, Finland, Luxembourg, the Netherlands and Sweden the previous day.
Last month, hackers targeted cooling units in as many as 700 supermarkets in France. A regional branch of France's Crédit Mutuel bank also reported being victim to a cyber-attack. Similar incidents may have occurred at US military bases in early August.
Investigation and Response
Italy's government held emergency talks with intelligence chiefs on Tuesday, while EU agencies discussed formulating a collective response. "These are not isolated incidents and of course we have to be collectively resilient and prepared for such cyber incidents," said Thomas Regnier, an EU spokesperson.
The most plausible attribution scenarios were a "state-based signalling and demonstration of capability" or a lone-wolf hacker.
The EFS stated it was not directly targeted, with attacks hitting cold stores run by contractors. The organization has alerted France's national cybersecurity agency (ANSSI) and the health ministry, while reinforcing monitoring of all equipment.
Related
