New York Blood Center Enterprises (NYBCe), a nonprofit blood donation organization, was hit by a ransomware, which disrupted critical services across the US.
The organization revealed yesterday that it had taken some systems offline to contain the threat. The suspicious activity was first detected on January 26. Working with cybersecurity, the organization confirmed that this activity was the result of a ransomware attack.
New York Blood Center Enterprises is now working with experts to restore systems as quickly as possible. Law enforcement has also been notified of the incident. At this time, we do not know who is behind the attack.
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The New York Blood Center provides blood donation services and products to 70 area hospitals and serves over 75 million people nationwide.
Disruption of blood donation services
As a result of measures to contain the ransomware attack, the New York Blood Center warned that blood donations are being accepted at its centers, but processing times may be longer than normal.
"Donation center activities and blood drives may need to be rescheduled. If we determine that any donation appointments need to be rescheduled, we will notify our donors as soon as possible," the NYBCe wrote.
The ransomware attack came just days after one of NYBCe's divisions, the New York Blood Center, declared a blood emergency (January 21).
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attacks on healthcare organizations have become increasingly prevalent in recent years. These organizations are a prime target for these attacks due to the sensitive nature of patient information and the potential impact on public health.
The attack on New York Blood Center Enterprises also highlights the importance of cybersecurity measures to safeguard vital services. In addition to implementing strong security protocols and regularly updating systems, organizations should also prioritize employee training and awareness about cyber threats. This includes training staff on how to recognize phishing emails and other common methods used by attackers to gain access to systems.
See also: Ransomware gang uses SSH tunnels to covertly access VMware ESXi
The consequences of ransomware attacks on critical infrastructure extend beyond financial losses. In the healthcare sector, lives are at stake when systems are disrupted. This highlights the need for stricter regulations and penalties for cybercriminals involved in these malicious acts.
Source: www.infosecurity-magazine.com
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