Criminals breached the refrigeration systems used by France's national blood service and reprogrammed cold chambers from -30 °C to 110 °C, putting at risk plasma stocks intended for transfusions and for the manufacture of medicines. The attack occurred in the early hours of November 1 to 2, 2026, but was detected before the products were compromised.
The incident was revealed by the French newspaper Le Canard enchaîné on November 3. The target was Coolworld, the company responsible for maintaining the refrigeration equipment used by the Établissement français du sang (EFS), the public body in charge of collecting and distributing blood products in the country.
The intruders remotely altered the temperature and defrost parameters of equipment installed in three EFS units, including facilities in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region.
The 110 °C temperature corresponds to the setting entered by the criminals, not to the temperature actually reached by the chambers. During the night, an on-duty technician identified the abnormal rise in temperature, while the monitoring and alarm systems allowed a rapid response.
No plasma bag or blood sample was lost, according to a statement issued by the EFS on November 3. The products stored in the affected facilities were transferred to other equipment or placed in safety.
Among the threatened materials were plasma bags intended directly for transfusions and others used in the production of blood-derived medicines.
The French Ministry of Health confirmed that there were no consequences for patients nor any interruption of medical activities. Blood collection and distribution services continued to operate normally.
France's National Agency for the Security of Information Systems (ANSSI) and the Ministry of Health are taking part in the investigation. So far, those responsible for the attack have not been publicly identified.
The episode occurred after a series of attacks against refrigeration systems at European supermarkets, which caused losses of food products. However, there is still no confirmation that the incidents were carried out by the same criminals.
