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Computer Virus Attack Forces Hospitals To Cancel Operations, Shut Down Systems (zdnet.com)
A hospital system in the United Kingdom has canceled all planned operations and diverted major trauma cases to neighboring facilities citing a computer virus outbreak. From a report on ZDNet: The Northern Lincolnshire and Goole NHS Foundation Trust says a "major incident" has been caused by a "computer virus" which infected its electronic systems on Sunday. As a result of the attack, the hospital has taken the decision to shut down the majority of its computer networks in order to combat the virus. "A virus infected our electronic systems [on Sunday] and we have taken the decision, following expert advice, to shut down the majority of our systems so we can isolate and destroy it," said Dr Karen Dunderdale, the trust's deputy chief executive. The use of a shared IT system also means the United Lincolnshire Hospitals Trust has been taken offline as staff attempt to combat the attack. As a result of the attack, all outpatient appointments and diagnostic procedures that were set to take place at the infected hospitals on Monday and Tuesday have been canceled, while medical emergencies involving major trauma and women in high-risk labor are being diverted to neighboring hospitals.
Do they not have paper they can write on till the computer system is back up and then retroactively enter the data in?
Seriously, it wasn't that long ago that it was ALL paper records and charts....surely people can still write and notate on paper till the computer system comes up.
If not, then we all SERIOUSLY need to reconsider having only electronic records for medical treatment, or a few hackers could really kill people...literally.
Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.........
Any deaths occur that be attributed the delays caused by this?
Where in the story did it say that the IT system in question was based on Windows?
... virus attack vector in the first place. While I realize that no OS is immune to viruses, it seems that switching to an OS that isn't as widely targeted should at least substantially reduce the likelihood they would be susceptible... and as most of the alternatives are a variant on Unix, usually have enough restrictions on what users are allowed to do that no one end-user with normal privileges can render the system unusable for anyone else.
File under 'M' for 'Manic ranting'
What was the name of this "computer virus" and what was the name of the Operating System platform?
Where in the story did it say that the IT system in question was based on Windows?
That's typically the case. Some of my best paying IT support contracts I've done are hospitals. Job security that pays well.
They're currently posting an ad for an IT Admin (asset mgmt) at UKP 17k (~$20k/yr). Great advertising... any takers? http://jobs.nlg.nhs.uk/job/UK/...
Peoples lives get put in danger when they hack hospitals and call in swats to police. People can die or suffer because they're greedy for money. And the worst part is they probably actually don't care if people die as long as they get money. Its a similar attitude scammers and kidnappers have.
They could probably invest in upgrading if we could get tort reform and put the ambulance chasers out of business.
I'm assuming the virus got into the hospital's record keeping data system through an Internet connection. This makes me wonder if every system in the hospital is connected to the public Internet, including life support systems such as ventilators, heart monitors, etc., and and other devices such as robotic surgery machines, analytical laboratory equipment, x-ray data analysis computers, and more. Every data storage and manipulation device does not need to be on the general public Internet. Imagine if a county's ICBM launch systems were connected to the public Internet. The mind boggles. Even if these many systems were not on the Internet, a black hat with access to a significant collection of important networked computers can still do damage. The Stuxnet compromise of the Iranian uranium enrichment centrifuges is a perfect example.
In a time of universal deceit, telling the truth is a revolutionary act. George Orwell
Operation's been canceled? Guess it's time to break out the wire snippers.
'The tyrant will always find pretext for his tyranny.' - Aesop's Fables
Replace "computer virus" with "virus" and "network shut-down" with "quarantine" and you get a nice scenario just a few days late for Halloween.
Maybe we could add a few zombies to spice things up.
because it's not Windows.
Nope, that's not it, not at all. The point is that an open source OS means you are not limited to single vendor support. "Competition" actually means something when you are able to take advantage of it.
After a recent experience myself I can say for sure that hospitals are not prepared for a attack on their technology. For one, I don't think many working the devices know much about securing them. When they break or fail to work they just set them aside until someone comes from the company or service company. I saw a lot of internal systems running older Windows and probably not completely protected or updated. It's a ticking time bomb that nobody is addressing.
Besides being the ONLY operating system that is so susceptible to a virus attack:
http://www.computerweekly.com/feature/Is-Microsoft-deal-best-medicine-for-NHS
Well, the keyword being "virus". Unless they use old Macintosh systems. Virus, usually implies Windows.
Your story needs updating. Most systems back online. Check their websit
Why does ZDNet always hide the fact that Windows is the operating system involved when viruses, worms, malware, scumware, ransomware etc are involved?
You have other changes as well. Consider that in many Hospitals they employ radiographers to review x-rays and MRI scans. These are now digital documents (film is for old people) and Hospitals can employ services from radiographers who telecommute rather than having to dedicate space on site. A major IT Security incident has the capacity to disrupt access to these digital studies, and 'going paper' is pointless.
There is always the temptation for Hospitals to take the savings they make by going digital and investing them in clinical services, rather than 'hardening' their IT infrastructure to protect the delivery of safe and sustainable services..
This is another example of what happens when the chickens come home to roost and crap on a specialists Bentley :-)
If this outcome was the intention of the virus creator/s then this is beyond black-hat, this is just sick. Even the black hats should be hunting the creator down and crucifying them.
they need to fix.
apps that need local admin to run
apps that have a fixed user login
apps that don't run after os updates
apps that only work with old IE vers
apps must have a open link to a 3rd party outside vendor to work.
pay for your own background check as well.
wow that is as bad as this one Data Center that after having a robbery wanted to pay a armed guard near mini wage with bring your own gun being a big plus.
Here in Hobart, Tasmania, I wince every time I go to a medical facility because many of them are still using PCs running Windows XP. I have yet to see one running a currently supported version of Windows. I expect an event like the one reported in the article any day now.
Oh the irony if the virus writter infects the hospital network thus shutting it all down etc on to have a hit-run accident and taken to the very same hospital and dies (if we are lucky) or is seriously injured and unable ti be treated due to the downed IT system. How we would laugh
There's no reason to have critical systems on the main network, connected to the internet. Software and vendors aside, a properly segmented network would limit the outbreak of a virus to non-critical systems.
...until the right person dies.
I spent 20 years with 911/999/etc and that is the motto there also.
So until some important lorrie/torrie/libdem/publican't loses a parent/spouse/child to hacking....it will not be fixed.
Until then install VirtualBox and with a VM for SolydK.
Been using for 3 years with not problems in auto-updates.
Developers came from Debian.
at a Hospital. Who'da thunk?
not to weaken security and introduce backdoors.
With increased size come economies of scale. Or at least,t he possibility of economies of scale.
With increased size come outages or destruction which affect larger numbers of people. Or at least the possibility of such outages or destruction.
Barings Bank comes to mind.
So does Nassim Nicholas Taleb's anti-fragility.
There's no time like the present. Well, the past used to be.
That's because if they taught recursive writing they'd have to teach recursive writing.
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."