Cyber attack and its consequences.

[spudfan]

My daughter who has special needs developed an absess in her mouth on her gum. Dentist could not tackle the tooth until the absess had gone so a course of antibiotics was prescribed. In the meantime a cyberware attack had been launched on our healthcare computer system . Things were grinding to a halt. My daughter's abcess had gone but the dentist needed an xray but could not get one as the cyberware attack had messed our health system up. The abcess returned so another course of antibiotics was prescribed for my daughter.
We were told to take her to the dentist when the swelling went down, which it did. The dentist could see a tooth that needed removed so so tackled it. My wife was with my daughter and said it was a difficult job. When I am at the dentist, I can't wait to get out. When the dentist had finished extracting my daughter's tooth, even though my daughter had tears in her eyes she hugged the dentist and her assistant.
The dentist said more work needs done but she will try to get it done in a hospital (80 mile round trip) under anaesthetic. This cannot be done until our health care computer system is back to normal and that could take a long time....
Yep it is always the weak who suffer in these things.

[V8Ian]

Criminals are too selfcentred to care who gets hurt by their activities. :bat:

[windsock]

Yes, we have heard a bit about the Irish Cyberware ransomware attack on the Irish Hospital system here in NZ lately. Sad to hear of the direct consequences from you on this.

One of our biggest District Health Boards (DHB - these run several hospitals in a district/region) here in NZ has been hit by a similar ransomware attack. Waikato DHB was hit around two weeks ago. All computers and phone systems linked to the IT system are down still although the latest news is that half the affected servers are almost ready for redeployment. In the meantime, lots of delay and/or postponement. Cancer patients are being transferred to other DHB hospitals for treatment. A huge impact on many people that will have an impact for years to come with delayed treatments and added stress.

Second to this, patient data has been released to the media with threats of more releases if the ransom is not paid. It has also been noted in our media that such attacks also lead to blackmail of individuals whose data has been stolen and reveals sensitive information about them, especially if the initial ransom is not paid. The perps looking for some kind of payday.

I can only hope there is an adequate reckoning had one day with the people responsible for this type of thing.

[spudfan]

The dentist phoned today to ask for my daughter's address as they could not even access that. They found the phone number in the call history on the phone handset!!

[spudfan]

Update. Back from the hospital dentist. It will be ten months before they will be able to do the work my daughter needs. It will be done under anaesthetic so lots of paper work needed signed. This pointed out the dangers involved and that we were aware of them. It also stipulated both parents must attend with my daughter. One to drive the car and the other to sit with my daughter in the back incase there is a reaction to the anaesthetic. She will also have to have a covid test before she attends. Now all we need is for the intervening ten months to be incident free.....teeth wise!

[NavyDiver]

Update. Back from the hospital dentist. It will be ten months before they will be able to do the work my daughter needs. It will be done under anaesthetic so lots of paper work needed signed. This pointed out the dangers involved and that we were aware of them. It also stipulated both parents must attend with my daughter. One to drive the car and the other to sit with my daughter in the back incase there is a reaction to the anaesthetic. She will also have to have a covid test before she attends. Now all we need is for the intervening ten months to be incident free.....teeth wise!

Crazy stuff. Must say I am bit shocked. We back up daily. Restore back ups to some where else to test at least weekly and IF bitten I have years of data I can restore here, there or anywhere. Their IT sounds like run by kindergarten kids? It is possible the front end staff do not know what is occurring at the back end of the hospital? Replacing a few servers restoring data and wiping an reinstalling thin client software from access points is not months of work. If a ransom ware or hack occurred it should not be that hard to recover IF they had a clue. Its not just cyber security issue, we do it for. Hardware and network faults require planning. Back ups a just a part of it.


Have to add. Putting layers of paper work due to having an anesthetic seems bureaucracy gone nuts. Its just information and a quick signature that your aware of the risks.

Hope your daughter get the help and care she needs.