back to article Cyberattack on NHS causes hospitals to miss cancer care targets

NHS execs admit that last year's cyberattack on hospitals in Wirral, northwest England, continues to "significantly" impact waiting times for cancer treatments, and suspect this will last for "months." Silhouette of a woman with clouds signifying health concerns Cancer patient forced to make terrible decision after Qilin …

  1. m4r35n357 Silver badge

    Are we getting the message yet (no)

    The internet is NOT a safe repository for personal data.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Are we getting the message yet (no)

      Sure it is... I never have an issue recovering my data from haveibeenpwned.com

    2. steviebuk Silver badge

      Re: Are we getting the message yet (no)

      No. Management will do as they are told instead of what is right. Having worked there for years nothing has changed and this will make them lock down even more making being an engineer there even more painful. I understand security but when it means you can't do your job properly, its FUCKING annoying. Yes, I know how to install and set a static IP for a fucking printer, now you've made me wait 20mins at the nurses station because "You're in a meeting and only YOU can set the IP for the printer". And I can't just leave the blood printer half setup. Cocks.

      1. fajensen

        Re: Are we getting the message yet (no)

        Once you become an experienced engineer, you’ll realise that you get paid either way and you’ll stop giving a toss :).

      2. Mudlo

        Re: Are we getting the message yet (no)

        Simpsons did it first: nuclear plant state of the art security with a flapping wooden back door..

  2. Mishak Silver badge

    Disaster recovery planning?

    Either not in place or untested, it would seem.

    Totally unacceptable that this continues to be allowed to happen - if it really (all) needs to be connected to the internet, then a realistic recovery plan should be in place for when it gets hacked (and yes, I mean "when", not 'if").

  3. ChrisElvidge Silver badge

    Alternatively you could read

    NHS execs admit that last year's cyberattack on hospitals in Wirral, northwest England, continues to "significantly" impact waiting times for cancer treatments, and suspect this will last for "months."

    AS

    NHS execs still using last year's cyberattack as an excuse for not hitting target waiting times for cancer treatments.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Pick Your Poison.............

    GDPR IS A JOKE

    - https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2017/jul/03/google-deepmind-16m-patient-royal-free-deal-data-protection-act

    - https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/may/27/nhs-data-breach-trusts-shared-patient-details-with-facebook-meta-without-consent

    PALANTIR IS A THREAT

    - https://www.theregister.com/2024/09/05/fdp_lacks_legal_basis/

    Misdirection: Ransomware is a threat........but private control (e.g. Google, Palantir) is a MUCH BIGGER threat............

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Re: Pick Your Poison.............

      "Misdirection: Ransomware is a threat........but private control (e.g. Google, Palantir) is a MUCH BIGGER threat............"

      100% correct. That private control is not just by private companies but it is all individuals acting for their own private benefit without any thought of the general public. A form of collective psychopathy. At least the US have a disruptor (we hope, remains to be seen), the UK still has the Uniparty and currently the worst part of it!

      1. Vincent Ballard
        WTF?

        Re: Pick Your Poison.............

        The US' disruptor is an individual acting for his own private benefit without any thought of the general public, so if you have any coherent point at all it's hard to work out what it is.

  5. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I wonder how many problems this will be used as an excuse for?

    I keep sayiing, critical infrastructure needs manual backup systems that can be switched to. It's not that long ago that the NHS could operate without computers and it hasn't got better with them as far as I can tell. How much is about data gathering and convenience? I bet 80% adds little to efficiency for the patients. I have seen huge government sums being spaffed away on expensive IT projects that they will manipulate anyway to provide the answer "they" want that keeps the money floweing.

    1. BartyFartsLast Silver badge

      I dunno, the NHS has had computers for a good number of decades, the PACS system used to run on DEC Alpha servers for example and the local NHS trust had a VAX which ran a lot of their services.

      The thing that's new is the bloody cloud and using the internet to connect it all up instead of leased lines, dedicated fibre etc.

      Just wait til you fi

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