British MPs and technology experts have warned of a potential threat from Chinese hackers targeting the refrigeration systems of the UK’s National Health Service (NHS), where vaccines and medicines are stored.

The ‘Coalition on Secure Technology’ highlighted that many components used to connect these refrigerators to the internet are manufactured in China. They warn that this could allow remote access to alter temperatures or shut down units entirely. Since vaccines and blood samples require precise temperature control, any interference could render them unusable, posing a significant risk to patient safety.