NHS hit by cyber-attack

[Becky]

Crikey!

NHS services across England and some in Scotland have been hit by a large-scale cyber-attack.

Staff cannot access patient data, which has been scrambled by ransomware. There is no evidence patient data has been compromised, NHS Digital has said.

NHS England has declared a major incident. The BBC understands up to 25 NHS organisations and some GP practices have been affected.

It comes amid reports of cyber-attacks affecting organisations worldwide.

Ambulances have been diverted and patients warned to avoid some A&E departments.

NHS cyber-attack: GPs and hospitals hit by ransomware

 

[V_R]

I don't think this looks like an attack, just standard ransomware BS by the looks of it,

Some poor sod probably just opened an email attachment without realising.

We all know they have sod all budget for doctors never mind for their IT infrastructure etc.

 

[V_R]

Looks like its more than just the NHS:

https://blog.gdatasoftware.com/2017/05/29751-wannacry-ransomware-campaign

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-39901382

Could have been timed to deploy today maybe?

 

[Abarbarian]

It might be a good time for that multi hundreds of millions of pounds GCHQ to step in and track the culprits down.
You might want to ask why all patients records are not behind a secure firewall with strict access security. Or indeed any sensitive and important documentation. Guess they could not afford to implement that simple level of security after funding GCHQ.

 

[nivrip]

I guess the ransomware people (I can think of other terms for them) have just decided to push their nasty programme out at everybody knowing that they will get some to respond to their demands.

Toe rags.

 

[Urmas]

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/201...yber-gang-shadow-brokers-blamed-nhs-computer/

 

[nivrip]

MS issued a patch for this very vulnerability a couple of months back so everyone using Win8 and Win10 should be OK.

The NHS, however, is still using Windows XP and all support and updates stopped an age ago hence the problem. But what does the NHS do? Spend money on a new MRI scanner or spend it on changing the whole system onto Win10?

I guess money will have to be found to change to a supportable I.T. system otherwise this could happen again and again.

Or is this where Linux comes in?

 

[EvanDavis]

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-s...malwaretech-a7734296.html?cmpid=facebook-post

 

[EvanDavis]

and all support and updates stopped an age ago hence the problem

Stopped in 2014 for normal people like us. Companies could pay M$ to carry on getting support.

 

[EvanDavis]

https://www.malwaretech.com/2017/05/how-to-accidentally-stop-a-global-cyber-attacks.html

 

[V_R]

https://www.malwaretech.com/2017/05/how-to-accidentally-stop-a-global-cyber-attacks.html

Thanks for that, a fascinating read.

 

[nivrip]

Stopped in 2014 for normal people like us. Companies could pay M$ to carry on getting support.

Ah, yes, but did the NHS continue to pay? I believe that, initially, they paid for the first year but not sure what happened after that.

Anyway, is there anything that we should all be doing to keep clear of this thing?

 

[EvanDavis]

Just watching the Spanish F1. Seems some of the teams were also affected by this.

 

[nivrip]

https://www.malwaretech.com/2017/05/how-to-accidentally-stop-a-global-cyber-attacks.html

Just read it. What a guy. Total lack of hubris. He deserves a knighthood.

 

[floppybootstomp]

The blame for this whole debacle is political isn't it? And it's all to do with funding.

Sir Flops best button it

 

[bootneck02]

Yes Mr Flops is right it is a political decision both of government and Management. For any organisation to be still running XP is a management decision but the BIG problem that hospital management is how to spend the diminishing budget on patient care or new IT and software. They made the decision that care was more important. Like some on this site have been recently been to hospital and I for one have surprised on some of their hardware has come out of the ark so it is no surprise that some hospitals are still running XP & Vista. It is unfortunate that the Trusts have to with diminishing funds available decide that patients come first.
The Politics is that with dwindling funds at the end of the day the National Health is under funded and has been for at least the last 10 years if not more. Over year ago I had a allergic reaction to penicillin given to me by the dentist. Two ambulances attended with 15 minutes I was transfered to Maidstone Hospital on blue lights and was seen by a doctor very quickly and given drugs, but there were no beds and staff had to go out of the ward to find a chair so I could sit down. At midnight the consultant came to see me in the corridor and told me and my wife he would have liked to have kept me in but there were no beds and did I feel well enough to go home, the good lady took me home. So this situation of underfunding has been going on for a long time. So decision IT or patient's care and funding.

 

[Abarbarian]

The blame for this whole debacle is political isn't it? And it's all to do with funding.

Sir Flops best button it

Whilst some of the blame can be laid at the feet of politicians. A great deal of the blame is due to totally shoddy and incompetent management.

 

[bootneck02]

I agree a combination of both, also not understanding IT.

 

[Abarbarian]

I agree a combination of both, also not understanding IT.

The government understands IT and they spend a great deal of your money on it. Only problem is they are keeping their investments and their rich friends safe not the general public's.

Have a peruse around the GCHQ site and see where your tax pounds have been spent.

Protecting the nation takes people who are as individual as our technologies are unique

 

[bootneck02]

Big brother is watching you