Moffitt Information Security has temporarily blocked access to Elsevier-owned domains following a reported cybersecurity incident involving several Elsevier websites.
On September 21, several Elsevier domains were observed redirecting users to an unauthorized external ransomware site. Although the redirects were subsequently removed, Elsevier has not yet issued an official public statement detailing the scope of the incident or confirming whether credentials, user information, or other systems were affected.
As a precaution, access from the Moffitt network to Elsevier domains has been temporarily blocked while Information Security evaluates the incident and awaits additional information from Elsevier.
Resources Currently Affected
The temporary block affects Elsevier platforms and content hosted on Elsevier domains, including:
Scopus
Embase
ClinicalKey
ClinicalKey Nursing
ScienceDirect
Elsevier journals and e-books, including titles such as Blood and other Elsevier-hosted publications
Please be aware that individual journal links, e-books, article links, or database features may also be unavailable if they rely on an Elsevier-owned domain.
What We Know
Public reporting indicates that several Elsevier web properties were temporarily redirected to an unauthorized external page. At this time, there has been no confirmed public report of ransomware or data theft, and the available information does not establish that Elsevier's underlying research databases or content platforms were compromised.
However, important questions remain regarding the cause and scope of the incident, including whether credentials or other information may have been exposed.
How Long Will Access Be Blocked?
This is a temporary security measure.
Moffitt Information Security is monitoring the situation and is awaiting an official response and additional technical information from Elsevier before restoring access to Elsevier domains.
The Biomedical Library will provide additional updates as information becomes available and will notify users when access has been restored.
If you need assistance locating an article, book chapter, or other resource during this disruption, please contact the Moffitt Biomedical Library (library@mofitt.org). We will assist with alternative access options whenever possible.
Thank you for your patience while Moffitt works to protect institutional systems and users.