NHS Dumfries and Galloway has warned nearly 150,000 sufferers to imagine that at the least a few of their private information is more likely to have been stolen and printed on-line following a significant cyber assault earlier this yr.
Julie White,, chief government of the well being board, has contacted each family within the space to replace them on the cyber assault in March 2024 , and what they will do to remain secure on-line.
A ransomware group focused the well being board and when its calls for weren’t met, it printed round three terabytes of stolen affected person information on the darkish internet.
A leaflet has been despatched out by NHS Dumfries and Galloway, which is able to attain households throughout the area between 18 and 22 June. It consists of the letter from Julie White, an easy-read model of the letter, and a listing of frequently-asked questions.
In it, White says: “We’re advising folks in Dumfries and Galloway that the very best strategy to take is to imagine that some information regarding you is more likely to have been copied and printed.
“That is a particularly severe scenario, and everyone seems to be requested to be on their guard for any makes an attempt to entry their pc techniques, or any approaches by anybody claiming to carry their information or another person’s information.”
The leaflet highlights that the “hundreds of thousands of items of information copied and printed” are typically very small, particular person information, together with x-rays, check outcomes and correspondence between well being and social care groups, correspondence between the well being board’s groups and sufferers, and complaints letters.
“The amount of information stolen and the problem of analysing it means a call was taken to prioritise ‘high-risk’ information which typically pertains to most susceptible sufferers,” White added.
“In case you are a part of a high-risk group which represents a small variety of folks dwelling in our communities, and we imagine the publication of the stolen information represents a further danger to you, we will probably be in contact with you to debate this.
“As our investigations are ongoing, we won’t be able to inform folks what particular information has been printed about them.”
NHS Dumfries and Galloway have recognized potential dangers, specified by the leaflet, ensuing from the publication of information. These are id theft, safety, extortion, and nervousness.
White concluded her letter by apologising to these affected: “On behalf of NHS Dumfries and Galloway, I wish to apologise for the nervousness which can have been brought on to you on account of this case.
“We’ve got sought to be as open as doable whereas adhering to the very specific steering we’ve acquired from Police Scotland and accomplice companies.”
Extra data is on the market on-line on the web site www.nhsdg.co.uk/cyberattack. The helpline may be reached by calling 01387 216 777, Monday to Friday 9am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to 1pm.
This follows a ransomware assault on pathology service supplier Synnovis, which disrupted providers at King’s School Hospital NHS Basis Belief, Man’s and St Thomas’ NHS FT and South London and Maudsley NHS FT.
We reported yesterday that greater than 800 deliberate operations and 700 outpatient appointments had been rearranged within the week following the assault.