--- title: "Hackers Break Into Blood Plasma Cold Storage Units, Cranking Up Temperatures in Attempt to Destroy Lifesaving Medical Resources" description: "Hackers broke into the refrigeration systems at French blood banks and cranked temperatures up to excessive levels." date: "2026-11-06" modified: "2026-11-06" authors: - name: "Frank Landymore" job_title: "Contributing Writer" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/flandymore.md" url: "https://futurism.com/health-medicine/blood-bank-cold-storage-hack" categories: - "Computing" - "Cybersecurity" - "Devices" - "Future Society" - "Health & Medicine" - "Medical" - "Robots and Machines" - "Treatments" --- # Hackers Break Into Blood Plasma Cold Storage Units, Cranking Up Temperatures in Attempt to Destroy Lifesaving Medical Resources ![A hand holding a bag of blood plasma inside a freezer drawer.]() *Shutterstock* Europe's industrial scale fridges continue to be at the mercy of cybercriminals, who have claimed another victim in their chilling hacking spree. The French Blood Establishment (EFS) confirmed that its cold storage units containing blood were compromised at three of its locations on Monday. The attack allowed the hackers to crank temperatures and defrost thresholds up to "excessively high levels," it said in a statement [translated from French by *CNBC*](). The attack targeted Coolword, the refrigeration system provider; the EFS blood bank just happened to be collateral damage, endangering a lifesaving medical cache. "These cold storage units — located at EFS preparation and distribution sites — are used to store blood products prior to their delivery to healthcare facilities, as well as samples intended for EFS biobanks," the EFS said. The attack coincided with another [attack on European supermarkets that same day](), spoiling food as hackers set thermostats up to 122 degrees Fahrenheit. No blood samples were lost, but it was a close call. The blood bank's surveillance systems were activated immediately, allowing the compromised equipment to be either brought under control — or in some cases turned off — before the heat could damage the blood stores. The samples were then quickly transferred to other facilities, per *CNBC.* The French health ministry said that the "situation is now under control and is being closely monitored," [per *Reuters*](). "The safety of the blood supplies was preserved thanks to the facilities' monitoring and alarm systems, as well as precautionary measures immediately implemented." The blood bank incident comes just two weeks after hackers [hijacked the fridge and freezer systems of hundreds of supermarkets]() across France and parts of Europe. Several major food chains were affected, including Carrefour, which said that 80 of its locations were caught in the attack. The hackers dialed the thermostats to temperatures as high as 122 degrees Fahrenheit. In many cases the tampering wasn't caught until it was too late, causing millions of euros worth of food to be spoiled and thrown out. Some locations even experienced fires. The breach was linked to a vulnerability in the refrigeration controller software provided by Danfoss. Some of the fridges targeted in the new wave of supermarket hacks on Monday also used Danfoss software. The culprits in all the attacks remain unknown, but given the similarities involved, there will be suspicions that they're linked. **More on cybersecurity:** [*It Turns Out Binance’s $6 Billion Hack Happened Because Its Employees Were Vibe Coding*]() ## Author At Futurism, my work has often centered on bringing a sense of clarity and insight to complex topics ranging from the regulation of emerging technologies to the esoteric ideologies of Silicon Valley executives, while striving not to lose the poetic sense of awe inspired by often-obscure fields like astrophysics and quantum computing. I broke the story of CNET using AI to produce articles that turned out to be riddled with factual errors and plagiarism — a dam-breaking inflection point, as I've reported, that's inspired copycats and endless discourse while beguiling stakeholders ranging from tech giants to purveyors of spam around the web. My work at Futurism has been cited by publications including CBS News, the Los Angeles Times, Vice, Gizmodo, Engadget, the Verge, and Vanity Fair. I grew up in locales ranging from India to China, and now live in the exotic suburbs of Virginia. In my free time, I'm an avid reader of weird sci-fi literature, an aficionado of East Asian cinema, and, regrettably, a relapsed gamer. Allegedly, I’m working on a debut novel, currently untitled. ### Author social links [Bluesky]() ## More - [Hackers Break Into Supermarket Fridges and Spoil All the Groceries]() - [Doctors Intrigued by Shot That Prevents Multiple Types of Cancer in Mice]() - [Committee Unable to Contact Nobel Prize Winner Because He’s Too Chill, Had Phone on Airplane Mode]() - [Scientists Identify Possible Game Changing Treatment for Alzheimer’s Disease That Could Control It Like High Cholesterol]() - [Kim Kardashian’s Doctor Finds Holes in Her Brain, Signs of “Low Activity”]() - [Plans Accelerated for Human Trials of Tooth Regeneration]() - [Kalshi Defends Plan to Bet on Outcomes of Clinical Trials]() - [Anti-Aging CEO Injects Face With Strange Treatment, Experiences Bizarre Reaction]()