A recent ransomware attack on OneBlood, a major blood donation center, has been hit with a ransomware cyberattack tha has raised alarms about potential blood shortages in Florida hospitals.

OneBlood says it is working closely with cyber security specialists, and also federal, state and local agencies as part of their comprehensive response to the situation.

“OneBlood takes the security of our network extremely seriously.  Our team reacted quickly to assess our systems and began an investigation to confirm the full nature and scope of the event.  Our comprehensive response efforts are ongoing and we are working diligently to restore full functionality to our systems as expeditiously as possible,” said Susan Forbes, OneBlood senior vice president of corporate communications and public relations.

Although OneBlood remains operational and continues to collect, test and distribute blood, they are operating at a significantly reduced capacity.

“We have implemented manual processes and procedures to remain operational. Manual processes take significantly longer to perform and impacts inventory availability. In an effort to further manage the blood supply we have asked the more than 250 hospitals we serve to activate their critical blood shortage protocols and to remain in that status for the time being,” said Forbes.

To help augment their supply the national blood community is rallying to assist OneBlood and the hospitals and patients it serves. Blood centers across the country are sending blood and platelets to OneBlood, and the AABB Disaster Task Force is coordinating national resources to assist with additional blood products being sent to OneBlood. All blood types are needed, but there is an urgent need for O Positive, O Negative and Platelet donations.

“The blood supply cannot be taken for granted. The situation we are dealing with is ongoing.  If you are eligible to donate, we urge you to please make an appointment to donate as soon as possible,” said Forbes.

In the meantime, cybersecurity experts recommend the following actions for those concerned about their online security:

  1. Freeze Your Credit: Contact credit reporting agencies to place a freeze on your credit. This can help prevent unauthorized access to your credit report and protect against identity theft.
  2. Update Passwords: Change the passwords for all your online accounts. Ensure that the new passwords are strong and unique for each account to reduce the risk of unauthorized access.
  3. Be Vigilant for Phishing Attempts: Be cautious of phishing emails and other forms of communication from malicious actors attempting to steal personal information. Always verify the authenticity of any request for sensitive information before responding.

These steps can help mitigate the risk of further harm and enhance your overall cybersecurity posture.