New York Blood Center Enterprises (NYBCe) is currently facing a major disruption in its blood donation services across the United States due to a ransomware attack. The non-profit organization, which provides blood donations to 70 area hospitals and serves over 75 million individuals nationwide, revealed that it had taken certain IT systems offline to contain the threat.
The incident came to light on January 26 when NYBCe identified suspicious activity affecting its IT systems. Following an investigation with third-party cybersecurity experts, it was confirmed that the organization had fallen victim to a ransomware attack. The exact details of the attack, including the identity of the perpetrator and whether any data was accessed, are currently undisclosed.
In response to the attack, NYBCe is collaborating with experts to restore its systems as quickly as possible. However, as of now, there is no specific timeline for completion of this process. Law enforcement agencies have been notified of the incident to investigate further.
Due to containment measures, NYBCe has issued a warning that while blood donations are still being accepted at its centers, processing times may be delayed. This disruption has led to potential rescheduling of donation center activities and blood drives. New York State Senator Dean Murray took to social media to inform donors about cancellations of blood drives, urging them to consider attending future drives.
The ransomware attack comes in the wake of a blood emergency declared by NYBCe’s division, the New York Blood Center, due to a significant drop in donations. This disruption has further strained the region’s blood supply, emphasizing the critical nature of blood donation services.
This incident adds to a concerning trend of ransomware attacks targeting healthcare organizations. In recent years, several prominent institutions, including blood donation centers and healthcare payment providers, have fallen victim to such attacks. OneBlood, a US blood donation center, experienced a ransomware attack in 2024, impacting its ability to collect and distribute blood. Similarly, a ransomware attack on Change Healthcare led to the largest healthcare data breach on record, affecting millions of individuals and disrupting prescription services nationwide.
A report by Netwrix further underscores the vulnerability of healthcare organizations to cyber-attacks, with a significant percentage facing intrusions in recent years. This growing threat poses a significant challenge to the healthcare sector, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures to safeguard critical medical services.
As NYBCe works towards restoring its systems and minimizing the impact of the ransomware attack, the incident serves as a stark reminder of the pressing need for greater cybersecurity vigilance in the healthcare industry. The organization’s efforts to address this challenge reflect the broader efforts needed to combat cyber threats and protect vital healthcare services for the benefit of patients nationwide.