OneBlood Discloses Ransomware Attack Compromising Donor Personal Information

OneBlood, a prominent blood donation nonprofit serving the southeastern United States, has confirmed a significant data breach resulting from a ransomware attack that occurred in July 2024. The organization, which provides blood to over 250 hospitals across multiple states, disclosed that sensitive personal information of donors was compromised during the incident.

The breach was initially detected on July 28, 2024, and involved unauthorized access to OneBlood's network between July 14 and July 29. During this critical period, attackers copied files and folders containing confidential donor information without authorization. Following a comprehensive incident response that concluded on December 12, 2024, OneBlood determined that the affected files contained donors' names and Social Security numbers.

Susan Forbes, Senior Vice President of Corporate Communications and Public Relations at OneBlood, addressed the incident, stating, "We take the confidentiality, privacy, and security of information in our care seriously. Our team reacted quickly to assess our systems and began an investigation to confirm the full nature and scope of the event."

The ransomware attack severely disrupted OneBlood's operations, forcing the organization to switch to manual processes for blood collection, testing, and distribution. This significant reduction in capacity led to critical blood shortages, prompting OneBlood to ask partner hospitals to activate their critical blood shortage protocols.

In response to the data breach, OneBlood has taken several proactive steps to mitigate the impact and prevent future incidents. The organization has notified federal law enforcement and is working closely with cybersecurity specialists to enhance its security measures. Additionally, OneBlood is offering affected individuals 12 months of complimentary credit monitoring and identity theft restoration services through TransUnion.

The organization urgently advises all affected donors to remain vigilant against potential identity theft and fraud. Donors are recommended to review their account statements, monitor their credit reports for suspicious activity, and consider placing credit freezes or fraud alerts on their accounts.

This incident is part of a growing trend of cyber attacks targeting healthcare organizations and their suppliers. It follows similar attacks on other blood suppliers in recent months, highlighting the urgent need for enhanced cybersecurity measures in the healthcare sector.

While the full extent of the breach remains unclear, the potential for identity theft and financial fraud is significant. Names and Social Security numbers can be used by malicious actors to commit various forms of fraud, making it crucial for affected individuals to take immediate protective actions.

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