New York Blood Center Ransomware Attack Worsens Blood Shortage Crisis
A ransomware attack on New York Blood Center (NYBC) has disrupted blood donation operations across the region, forcing the cancellation of some community blood drives and donor appointments, including one scheduled for Jan. 30 in Riverhead, New York, at Hotel Indigo. NYBC detected suspicious network activity on Jan. 26 and later confirmed it was the result of a ransomware incident, the organization announced Wednesday. As a containment measure, certain IT systems were taken offline, and law enforcement has been notified.
The attack comes at a critical time, as NYBC and its New Jersey division declared a blood emergency just days earlier, citing a 30% drop in donations and a shortage of 6,500 units of blood. The region’s blood supply had already been “crippled” by low holiday-season donor turnout, with O-negative and B-negative blood supplies dwindling to a dangerously low 1-3 day reserve. While NYBC continues to accept blood donations, scheduling and processing delays are expected, and the organization may need another urgent donor push in the coming weeks.
NYBC has not confirmed whether personally identifiable information (PII) was compromised in the attack. It also has not provided a timeline for full system restoration or identified those responsible. No ransomware group has claimed responsibility so far. Healthcare and critical infrastructure cyberattacks continue to rise, often involving data encryption and ransom demands. As NYBC works to recover, officials urge eligible donors to continue giving blood to help maintain the regional supply.