Threat watch / Attack
French blood service (EFS): plasma cold rooms tampered with through a supplier
An attacker reached the systems of a refrigeration equipment supplier and raised temperature and defrosting thresholds in cold rooms at three EFS sites. Alarms caught it, staff regained control, and EFS says no blood products were lost.
- Sector
- Health
- Way in
- Supplier
- Product or vendor
- Coolworld
- How it happened
- Through the systems of a refrigeration equipment supplier at the three sites. The supplier, Coolworld, attributes the vulnerability to a third-party component. How the attacker got into those systems is not public.[1][2] Checked 8 Nov 2026
- What was stolen
- No theft is reported. The attack changed settings: EFS says "temperature and defrosting thresholds were raised to extremely high levels".[1][2] Checked 8 Nov 2026
- Who was impacted
- Plasma cold storage at three EFS sites, holding plasma for transfusions and for making medicines. EFS says "no blood products or samples were compromised"; the plasma was moved or secured, and collection and distribution continue.[1][2] Checked 8 Nov 2026
- Threat actor
- Not attributed
Timeline
- The Associated Press reports the attack, first revealed by Le Canard enchaîné, and EFS's statement that no blood products were lost. [1]
- EFS says its teams are working with ANSSI and the Ministry of Health. The attack follows a wave of attacks on supermarket refrigeration systems across Europe since mid-October. [2]