This week, cooling systems in Swedish grocery stores were hacked, leading to large amounts of food being thrown away. Similar attacks have previously occurred in France, but the attackers have not stopped at food.
Some of the country's blood banks were recently subjected to a cyberattack via a supplier of cooling equipment. According to the French blood institute EFS, the equipment was heated to "very high temperatures". Quick action is said to have prevented any blood from being destroyed.
Johan Thulin, cybersecurity strategist at SKR (Swedish Association of Local Authorities and Regions), sees clear similarities between the incidents.
It was a supplier of cooling and freezing systems that apparently had a problem with its software that was exploited. It was exactly the same thing that happened in Sweden in grocery stores, he says.
Internally connected
According to him, there have been no similar attacks against blood banks in Sweden. The three metropolitan regions confirm this.
We understand that this raises many questions and that people may be worried. But we do not currently see that we have been affected by these attacks, says Fredrik Jacobsson, head of cybersecurity in Region Skåne.
Many of the region's units are connected, but not to the internet, he says. The same is true in Västra Götaland Region.
Our refrigerators are connected so that we can monitor them, but they are not exposed to the internet, says information security manager Anders Andersson.
According to Region Stockholm, protective measures are in place to prevent different types of attacks.
"Region Stockholm cannot go into exactly what the protective measures are, but it is a combination of protective measures, controls and methods, as well as close collaboration," the regional management office states.
"Keep it updated"
Fredrik Jacobsson says the risk of different types of cyberattacks against healthcare has increased.
Like other authorities, we have been trying to prepare for a long time, but it is definitely an elevated risk situation. Just like many other organizations, we are being challenged in a way we have never been before, he says.
Anders Andersson emphasizes that the most important thing is to ensure all systems are kept up to date.
It is about having different layers of security. But the most important and safest thing you can do, both as an individual and as an organization, is to keep track of what you have and keep it updated, he says.
What do you think?