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NHS
Cyberattacks CyberCrime Cyberhackers CyberThreat Dark Web Data Breach Data Records Galloway Medical Files NHS

Dark Web Nightmare: Scots NHS Patient Data Breach Exposes Medical Files

 


Following a major data breach at NHS Dumfries and Galloway, patients can access their private medical records online with just a few clicks. It has been reported that an extremely large amount of data has been stolen from the NHS by a group known as INC Ransom. 

To keep this vast amount of personal information confidential, the group demanded a ransom and then uploaded a massive amount of information to the dark web. As a result of the cyber attack on NHS Dumfries and Galloway in March, the data of its victims has now been released onto the dark web. NHS Scotland advised potential victims to remain vigilant about cyber attacks. 

Nevertheless, the media reports claim that a search on the dark web resulted in personal information about six patients, including a disabled child aged 10 and an 81-year-old man who was disabled. In addition to providing patients' names and dates of birth, the documents also include their home addresses and even their personal email addresses, details of the patient's life and medical history, test results, and private disclosures about their condition that were made to physicians. 

In response to the Sunday Mail report, NHS Dumfries and Galloway confirmed to the newspaper that patients have been informed, but they don't know what files the hackers have or how many more individuals have been compromised. Using the dark web, cybercriminals released documents that proved they had hacked the NHS system that were easily accessed by the Sunday Mail. 

There are some of the most personal details about six patients, including an 81-year-old man who was disabled at the age of 10 and a disabled 10-year-old girl. Furthermore, the documents reveal the patient's name and date of birth, in addition to their unique numerical identifiers called CHI numbers. It also gives their home addresses, as well as one person's e-mail address.

Furthermore, they contain intimate details regarding people's lives and medical histories, as well as test results, which are disclosed to doctors privately. According to the Sunday Mail, NHS Dumfries and Galloway has informed six patients that their data has been stolen, but they have no idea how many more have been affected or what files they have on hand.

As deputy leader of Labour, Jackie Baillie asked Health Secretary Neil Gray to explain how the breach occurred and what measures are being taken to prevent it in other health boards As a result of the breach, experts warn that the people whose personal information was compromised may be vulnerable to identity theft and other kinds of fraud. Managing director of the Cybersecurity Research Centre at Abertay University, Professor Lynne Coventry, said, "Health records can contain sensitive health information as well as financial information, making them more valuable than financial records." 

As a result of the data breach, thousands of people may potentially be affected, but authorities are not yet sure how significant it will be. There have been several calls for transparency from the NHS regarding the breach, and Patrick McGuire, partner at Thompsons Solicitors, says the NHS needs to provide support to those who were affected by the breach. 

McGuire also claimed that the NHS could be faced with significant legal claims from individuals whose personal information was exposed. This has got to be one of Scotland's biggest data breaches, possibly even the whole of Scotland. McGuire stated that the amount of information is enormous. The Scottish Conservative party's health spokesman, Dr Sandesh Gulhane, has stated that those whose information has been stolen are likely to seek financial compensation and that defending these claims could prove to be a significant challenge. 

During his interview with the press, Mr Gray revealed that he must take responsibility for the mitigation of the damage and prevent future attacks by explaining to the public what actions are being taken to mitigate these damages. As a result of the scale of the attack, it is difficult for NHS Dumfries and Galloway to determine exactly what data the hackers could access or how many individuals might be impacted. Police Scotland has confirmed that an investigation is ongoing. 

According to the health board, the six patients whose information had already been published online have already been contacted. Moreover, the NHS Scotland regional board has reported that no disruptions were reported to patient-facing services due to the cyber incident and that normal operations continued. 

According to the Scottish government, the cyber attack targeted NHS Dumfries and Galloway and no further incidents have been reported across NHS Scotland as a result of the cyber attack. The company has been around since July 2023, when it appeared on the scene. Numerous organizations, including healthcare institutions, have been indiscriminately targeted by ransomware. 

The group obtains access to the enterprise via phishing emails and exploiting vulnerabilities in software resulting in exploitation of Citrix NetScaler vulnerability CVE-20233519. Using TOR, it communicates with its victims over a TOR-based portal and tracks payments using a unique ID code that is at the heart of every payment.
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Health Ensures.
Cyber Attacks CyberCrime Cybersecurity CyberThreat Data Records Health Ensures.

Northern Light Health Ensures Patient Record Security Following Weekend Cyberattack

 


After some of Northern Light Health's computer servers were compromised over the weekend, electronic health records for patients have been restored online. As a result of detecting abnormalities on a few servers, the healthcare network took off some of its digital patient records Saturday. It is important to understand that Northern Light Health took patient records offline while investigating and implementing remedial measures even though none of the affected servers contained patient information. 

While Northern Light was conducting its investigation, it did not use digital patient records instead of paper records. As far as Northern Light is concerned, the data or information contained on those compromised servers was not shared by Northern Light. 

Healthcare providers were only able to access their patient records from limited computers while they were being treated this weekend. The health care system said no patient information was contained on any of the affected servers, but they have taken the systems offline for investigation and repair to take place during downtime procedures. 

There was no impact on patient care as a result of these downtime procedures, according to Northern Light Health. All ten of Northern Light Health's hospitals were open during the downtime and patients received the same level of care. A patient can still make appointments if he or she has been told otherwise. 

Even though electronic medical records are up and running, Northern Light Health noted that routine processes may be slower than usual if the electronic medical records are not yet fully functional. It was reassuring to the public that, despite the unsettling breach, patient records, which were stored on separate servers, were not damaged by the cyberattack. 

As a result of the breach, the health system took immediate action, suspending its records system and initiating an investigation into the matter immediately. It is becoming increasingly common for cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, including health systems, and Northern Light Health's response has become an example of crisis management as cyber threats continue to grow. 

There was an incident at Northern Light Health that was reported to the appropriate authorities, and Northern Light Health promises to keep all patients, staff, and communities informed throughout the investigation process. Due to the continued offline status of the organization's website, which has resulted in the organization being unable to communicate directly with its members, accessing accurate information has become challenging. 

It has been difficult for media outlets such as The Cyber Express to obtain additional information since the website has not been accessible. Aside from the cyberattack, rumours and misinformation have also been circulating after the cyberattack, which has caused havoc within the health system. Despite claims that their HVAC and security systems were vulnerable, Northern Light Health insisted that their operations would be uninterrupted as a result of the claims they refuted emphatically. 

The healthcare system has displayed resilience, demonstrating a commitment to patients, staff, and communities despite the cyber assault and remains united despite the cyber onslaught. It is alarming to discover that the threat posed by online hackers has grown out of control over the past couple of weekends at Northern Light Health. 

As the health system was battling the threat to its network, Air Force Lt. Gen. Marc Sasseville, the vice chair of the National Guard Bureau, was visiting Bangor Air National Guard Base in Maine for a discussion with service members about how to defend against cyber threats and how to contend with them. Northern Light Health is one of the many healthcare systems that place a great deal of value on this task. 

There has been a steady increase in ransomware attacks across all sectors of the critical infrastructure sector in the past few years -- hospitals and public health organizations have reported more incidents to the FBI in the 2022 Internet crime report than other critical infrastructure sectors.

Last week, FBI director Christopher Wray testified in front of a congressional committee that Chinese hackers were "positioning themselves on American infrastructure in preparation to wreak havoc with it." While the source of the threat to Northern Light is unknown, he warned that Chinese hackers are "positioning themselves to wreak havoc."
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