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Hackers are putting all the pressure on the organization to accurately get a cash ransom.
This month, the UK's National Health Service (NHS), and more specifically its NHS Dumfries & Galloway division, serving the Dumfries and Galloway region of Scotland, was hit by a major cyberattack claimed by ransomware group INC Ransom.
Hackers allegedly stole 3 terabytes of data, including sensitive information related to patients and medical professionals. Authorities said the data breach was limited to this region and did not affect the entire NHS Scotland system.
In response to the incident, we are working closely with Police Scotland, the National Crime Agency and the National Cyber Security Centre to assess the scale of the leak and the possible impact on those affected.
It is reported that the attackers have already published some of the stolen data, including the results of medical tests (adults and children), information about medicines, as well as the full names and home addresses of patients. The leak also contains information about medical professionals.
Ransom INC appears to have resorted to releasing the stolen information to increase pressure on the victim to pay a ransom. The UK authorities strongly recommend not to pay any ransoms, although this is not prohibited by law, if the criminals are not included in the sanctions lists.
Earlier, NHS Dumfries & Galloway described the incident as a "focused and ongoing cyberattack", without mentioning the ransomware. However, it is now confirmed that the data may have been compromised, and active work is underway to ensure security and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Geoff Ace, Chief Executive of NHS Dumfries & Galloway, highlights the gravity of the situation and the importance of different agencies working together to protect systems and assess the risks associated with hackers ' access to data.
Experts note that the healthcare sector is a particularly attractive target for cybercriminals due to its scale and complexity of systems, which makes detecting data leaks particularly time-consuming.
Attacks on health facilities continue to be a serious threat worldwide due to the critical importance of the services they provide. For example, the US agency DARPA, in order to somehow influence the situation, launched the AIxCC project last year, which aims to develop tools for autonomous detection of problems in the code of software used in critical infrastructures, including hospitals and water supply facilities.
This month, the UK's National Health Service (NHS), and more specifically its NHS Dumfries & Galloway division, serving the Dumfries and Galloway region of Scotland, was hit by a major cyberattack claimed by ransomware group INC Ransom.
Hackers allegedly stole 3 terabytes of data, including sensitive information related to patients and medical professionals. Authorities said the data breach was limited to this region and did not affect the entire NHS Scotland system.
In response to the incident, we are working closely with Police Scotland, the National Crime Agency and the National Cyber Security Centre to assess the scale of the leak and the possible impact on those affected.
It is reported that the attackers have already published some of the stolen data, including the results of medical tests (adults and children), information about medicines, as well as the full names and home addresses of patients. The leak also contains information about medical professionals.
Ransom INC appears to have resorted to releasing the stolen information to increase pressure on the victim to pay a ransom. The UK authorities strongly recommend not to pay any ransoms, although this is not prohibited by law, if the criminals are not included in the sanctions lists.
Earlier, NHS Dumfries & Galloway described the incident as a "focused and ongoing cyberattack", without mentioning the ransomware. However, it is now confirmed that the data may have been compromised, and active work is underway to ensure security and prevent similar incidents in the future.
Geoff Ace, Chief Executive of NHS Dumfries & Galloway, highlights the gravity of the situation and the importance of different agencies working together to protect systems and assess the risks associated with hackers ' access to data.
Experts note that the healthcare sector is a particularly attractive target for cybercriminals due to its scale and complexity of systems, which makes detecting data leaks particularly time-consuming.
Attacks on health facilities continue to be a serious threat worldwide due to the critical importance of the services they provide. For example, the US agency DARPA, in order to somehow influence the situation, launched the AIxCC project last year, which aims to develop tools for autonomous detection of problems in the code of software used in critical infrastructures, including hospitals and water supply facilities.
