In brief
On November 5, French authorities confirmed a cyberattack on their national blood bank’s refrigeration system, which briefly raised storage temperatures. The French banking group Credit Mutuel Arkea also reported fraudulent transactions linked to the breach, assuring customers their funds remain secure. No blood products were damaged, according to the blood bank’s statement.
On Wednesday, November 5, French blood bank authorities (EFS) announced that a cyberattack had targeted the cooling system of the country’s national blood bank, raising temperatures to dangerous levels.
The EFS said the refrigeration units were remotely manipulated, but the temperature spike was detected quickly and countermeasures were taken to prevent sample loss, resulting in no reported damage to blood products. Blood and bio samples are stored in cooling units until delivery to healthcare facilities.
Simultaneously, Credit Mutuel Arkea, a French banking group, confirmed that fraudulent transactions had occurred following a cyberattack. The company stated it had stopped the breach and safeguarded customers’ funds, reassuring clients that their balances were safe.
Both incidents come after a series of similar attacks on refrigeration units in supermarkets across various European countries.
