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Virus Shuts Down Australian Ambulance Dispatch Service

Posted by timothy on from the severe-spankings-called-for-in-certain-basements dept.

angry tapir writes "Computers which co-ordinate ambulances in NSW, Australia, are back online in three of the state's regions after a major virus forced staff to shut them down for more than 24 hours. The virus crept into the Ambulance Service of NSW's dispatch system, prompting staff to co-ordinate paramedics by telephone and handwritten notes. The cause and source of the virus are not yet known."

10 of 222 comments (clear)

  1. I know what caused it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "The cause and source of the virus are not yet known."

    I'm gonna take a guess at the cause: somebody decided to use a Microsoft product to control a critical system on which people's lives depend.

    If a bank used an armored car made of cardboard to transport money, would you blame the inevitable robbers, or the bank?

    1. Re:I know what caused it by gandhi_2 · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I'm gonna take a guess at the cause:

      letting mission-critical systems be used by employees to surf facebook and download cute fonts and wallpaper.

      --
      THL phish sticks
    2. Re:I know what caused it by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

      That just means they are not liable. You can still use Windows for it and it will work quite well, provided you don't do stupid things. Loading a virus on there is a stupid thing to do.

      Windows is not the greatest problem to system security. Users are.

    3. Re:I know what caused it by Bobakitoo · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Unfortunately we cannot get rid of the users. Using better softwares is the next best option.

  2. Windows by sirsnork · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I'll probably get modded to hell for this, but this isn't Microsoft's fault. Their IT staff is either incompetent, or their management is. Stopping Wdinwso from getting a virus isn't a diffucult proposition.

    Install decent AV in it, keep the subscription up to date, done.

    You can of course go much further and lock down the OS so it doesn't let removable devices connect etc, but unless this was more than a virus, simple AV would have solved it.

    --

    Normal people worry me!
    1. Re:Windows by whoever57 · · Score: 1, Insightful

      Install decent AV in it, keep the subscription up to date, done.

      Hah, hah! While I won't argue with the proposition that it is possible to make Windows secure, the idea that installing AV is sufficient is laughable.

      Show me the AV tool that catches 100% of viruses, including new viruses that have just been seen in the wild.

      --
      The real "Libtards" are the Libertarians!
  3. If only it was that easy.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    ....because it's not. Check an infected file on www.virustotal.com, and you'll see for yourself that at least a third won't detect the virus -- of course this always varies from virus to virus, rendering the 'one AV fits all' argument invalid... sadly.

    1. Re:If only it was that easy.... by DeathElk · · Score: 3, Insightful

      What a sad, sad situation.

  4. Re:Fools. by c0lo · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Well, this is NSW. With Keneally at the helm you know that you are going down one way or another.

    Funny thing, I'm not seeing the Liberal Party in NSW pushing the "Replace MS Windows with Linux" as a point on their electoral agenda. Can you please provide a link?

    --
    Questions raise, answers kill. Raise questions to stay alive.
  5. Where does it say Windows? by Vorghagen · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Almost every comment posted so far is bashing Microsoft or Windows for being an insecure OS but I can't find any mention of either in the article. It doesn't give any information about what kind of system the Ambulance Service was running.