Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

World

New York Blood Center and the lessons from the cyberattack

In the event of an attack, having a well-defined response strategy can help organizations minimize damage and recover swiftly.

Health authorities say there is no extra risk from using blood donated by people vaccinated against Covid
Health authorities say there is no extra risk from using blood donated by people vaccinated against Covid - Copyright AFP/File PHILIPPE HUGUEN
Health authorities say there is no extra risk from using blood donated by people vaccinated against Covid - Copyright AFP/File PHILIPPE HUGUEN

The New York Blood Center has suffered from a significant ransomware attack, on January 26, 2025. The non-profit blood centre collects donated blood (red cells, platelets and plasma) and uses these to create live saving products for distribution through hospitals and clinics.

The centre, which is the largest independent blood supplier in the New York City area, confirmed that although it is still accepting blood donations, “processing times may be longer than normal”.

Looking into this imputation upon this important center for public health is Roei Sherman, Field CTO at Mitiga.

Sherman sees this attack as not only something for healthcare to be concerned about – any business should pause and rethink its systems: “The recent ransomware attack on the New York Blood Center (NYBC) serves as a wake-up call for organizations across sectors, particularly those in critical services such as healthcare.”

Turning to the red cell and platelet collecting institution, Sherman finds: “As one of the world’s largest independent blood collection and distribution organizations, this incident undermines not just their operational capacity but potentially jeopardizes public health.”

As to the mode of attack, Sherman comments: “Ransomware attacks are increasingly common, and this situation highlights the urgent need for organizations to adopt proactive cybersecurity measures. The disruption caused by this incident, which led to the rescheduling of appointments, may have serious repercussions not only for the NYBC’s operations but also for patients who rely on timely access to blood donations.”

However, business units can respond and anticipate such cyber-incidences. Sherman recommends: “Organizations should consider the following steps to bolster their defences against ransomware.”

What form should these defences take? According to Sherman:

Conduct Comprehensive Risk Assessments

Regular assessments help identify vulnerabilities within organizations and allow for better preparedness against potential attacks.

Enhance Cloud, SaaS and Network Security

Employing advanced security tooling, including EDR, CDR, and vulnerability scanning, is vital for protecting sensitive data.

Develop an Incident Response Plan

In the event of an attack, having a well-defined response strategy can help organizations minimize damage and recover swiftly.

Concluding, Sherman observes: “This incident at the NYBC underscores the broader implications of ransomware not just as a technical challenge but as a threat to essential public services. Moving forward, it’s critical for all organizations, especially within the healthcare sector, to prioritize cybersecurity to safeguard their operations and protect the populations they serve.”

With his final corrective measure, Sherman opines: “As we look to the future, collaboration across the industry to share knowledge, best practices, and threat intelligence will be imperative in combating these evolving cyber threats.”

Avatar photo
Written By

Dr. Tim Sandle is Digital Journal's Editor-at-Large for science news. Tim specializes in science, technology, environmental, business, and health journalism. He is additionally a practising microbiologist; and an author. He is also interested in history, politics and current affairs.

You may also like:

Entertainment

Teen singers Jolie Rose Wasserman and Robert Levey II performed at Joanne Trattoria in the Upper West Side of New York City on Thursday,...

Entertainment

Joy Behar, Tovah Feldshuh, Susie Essman, and Adrienne C. Moore star in the new play "My First Ex-Husband," which is being performed at the...

World

US President Donald Trump's executive order against the International Criminal Court (ICC) seeks asset freezes and travel bans against ICC officials, employees and their...

Social Media

Eisenberg took a broadly sympathetic view of the Silicon Valley billionaire when playing him in the David Fincher-directed movie.