The cooling systems used in three facilities where blood plasma is stored in France were the target of a cyber attack. Attackers attempted to render stored blood products unusable by remotely changing the temperature and defrost settings of the systems.
The French Blood Society (EFS) announced that the attack was detected early and that no blood products or samples were damaged, thanks to the necessary precautions.
The incident followed similar cyber attacks in Europe in recent weeks, targeting the cooling systems of supermarkets and causing millions of dollars in damage.
In the statement made by EFS on Tuesday night, it was stated that the temperature and defrost thresholds of three cold storages where blood plasma was stored were increased to extremely high levels on Monday.
French weekly newspaper Le Canard Enchaîné reported that the attackers tried to raise the storage temperature, which is normally minus 30 degrees, to 110 degrees.
However, monitoring systems at the facilities quickly detected unusual changes. With the intervention of the officers, the stored products were secured.
In its statement after the attack, EFS said, "No health problems were detected and no blood products were lost."
BLOOD PLASMAS ARE SECURED
It was announced that the cyber attack targeted the supplier of cooling equipment used in three facilities affiliated with EFS.
Plasma bags prepared for use in blood transfusions and plasma used in drug production were stored in the facilities.
Authorities reported that after the attack was noticed, the products were moved to other areas or secured in the warehouses where they were located.
EFS announced that blood donation collection and distribution activities were not interrupted and services provided to hospitals and other healthcare institutions continued normally.
Coolworld, the supplier of the cooling equipment affected by the attack, announced that it was aware of the cyber security incident.
The company argued that the security vulnerability reported in the press was caused by a component belonging to a third-party supplier and was beyond its direct control.
Coolworld reported that a limited number of devices were affected by the incident and necessary precautions were taken.
The French National Cyber Security Agency and the Ministry of Health launched an investigation into the incident. There is no official statement yet regarding who is behind the attack.
HUNDREDS OF SUPERMARKETS WERE TARGETED IN EUROPE
The attack on blood banks brought to the agenda again the cyber attacks that targeted the cooling systems of hundreds of supermarkets and independent stores in France, Belgium and the Netherlands in mid-October.
In these attacks, refrigerators and freezers were remotely controlled and their temperatures were increased, causing tons of food products to spoil.
Companies affected by the attacks faced serious economic damage due to both product losses and disruptions in operations.
A LOSS OF 250 MILLION EUR IS EXPECTED IN THE COMPANY'S SALES
Netherlands-based supermarket chain Ahold Delhaize, one of the companies affected by the previous attack, announced that the cyber attack could reduce its sales in the last quarter of the year by up to 250 million Euros (about 281 million dollars).
The company also predicted that operating profit could fall by more than 100 million euros (about $112 million) during the same period.
Ahold Delhaize Chief Executive Franz Muller stated that most of the disruptions were brought under control within two weeks, but efforts are continuing to completely return activities to normal.
“As we all acknowledge, cyber threats are becoming an increasingly harsh reality of business today,” Muller said.
Following the attack, the company temporarily disabled some of its systems, including the websites and mobile applications of its various brands in Europe and the USA, as a precaution.
SECURITY OF CRITICAL INFRASTRUCTURE IS DISCUSSED
Successive attacks in Europe have increased concerns about the security of internet-connected devices and remotely managed industrial systems.
Especially in areas where temperature control is vital, such as healthcare institutions, food supply chains and cold storages, unauthorized access to systems can have serious consequences.
One of the risks highlighted by experts is that internet-connected smart devices, which are increasingly common in daily life and industry, are vulnerable to cyber attacks.
