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3mo ago

Ransomware Attack Disrupts Operations at New York Blood Center

The attack has forced appointment cancellations and worsened critical blood shortages as the organization works to restore systems.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - AUGUST 13: Blood for testing is placed on a holder at a New York Blood Center's Brooklyn Donor Center on August 13, 2024 in Downtown Brooklyn in New York City. The American Red Cross reported that there is a shortage of blood in its national blood supply due to the cancelations of more than 100 blood drives nationwide amid high temperatures during the summer. (Photo by Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Overview

  • The New York Blood Center (NYBC), a major blood collection nonprofit, detected a ransomware attack on January 26, leading to significant IT system disruptions.
  • The incident has caused blood donor appointments and drives to be canceled or rescheduled, exacerbating an already critical blood shortage declared just days earlier.
  • NYBC supplies blood to over 200 hospitals in the northeastern U.S. and provides transfusion services to more than 500 hospitals nationwide.
  • The organization has not disclosed whether donor or patient data was accessed and no ransomware group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
  • NYBC has engaged third-party cybersecurity experts to contain the breach, but there is no timeline yet for full system restoration.