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NHS 'robust' after cyber-attack | NHS 'robust' after cyber-attack |
(35 minutes later) | |
A total of 48 NHS trusts were hit by Friday's cyber-attack, of which all but six are now back to normal, Home Secretary Amber Rudd has said. | A total of 48 NHS trusts were hit by Friday's cyber-attack, of which all but six are now back to normal, Home Secretary Amber Rudd has said. |
Speaking after an emergency Cobra meeting, Ms Rudd said "there's always more" that could be done to protect against computer viruses. | Speaking after an emergency Cobra meeting, Ms Rudd said "there's always more" that could be done to protect against computer viruses. |
She said 97% of NHS trusts were "working as normal" and there was no evidence patient data was affected. | She said 97% of NHS trusts were "working as normal" and there was no evidence patient data was affected. |
The ransomware attack hit organisations in at least 99 countries. | The ransomware attack hit organisations in at least 99 countries. |
Europol described it as "unprecedented" and said its cyber-crime team was working with affected countries to "mitigate the threat and assist victims". | |
Ms Rudd insisted the government had "the right plans" to limit the impact of the attack, which also targeted the Nissan car plant in Sunderland. | |
Five NHS trusts are still said to be "needing help" with restoring their IT, including St Bartholomew's in London, the BBC's health editor Hugh Pym said. | Five NHS trusts are still said to be "needing help" with restoring their IT, including St Bartholomew's in London, the BBC's health editor Hugh Pym said. |
He said the 48 NHS trusts affected did not include GP practices and the Scottish health boards. | He said the 48 NHS trusts affected did not include GP practices and the Scottish health boards. |
NHS England said patients needing emergency treatment on Saturday evening should go to A&E or access emergency services as they normally would. | |
The malware spread quickly on Friday leaving hospitals and GPs unable to access patient data, with many doctors resorting to using pen and paper. | The malware spread quickly on Friday leaving hospitals and GPs unable to access patient data, with many doctors resorting to using pen and paper. |
Their computers were locked by a ransomware program which demanded a payment to access blocked files. | Their computers were locked by a ransomware program which demanded a payment to access blocked files. |
Hospitals across the UK were cancelling operations and ambulances had been diverted from hospitals in some areas. | Hospitals across the UK were cancelling operations and ambulances had been diverted from hospitals in some areas. |
Patient's story: 'Pulled out' of MRI scan | |
Ron Grimshaw, 80, was halfway through an MRI scan to test for prostate cancer at Lister Hospital in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, when staff became aware of the attack. | |
I got there at 11am, went through the usual formalities. Got my gown on, they put a feed into my wrist to send dye around my blood stream. | |
I was put in the scanner for 10 minutes and then I was pulled out again. | |
The nurses were saying something about a cyber-attack meaning their systems were down. | |
They weren't sure when it was going to start again so I waited for a bit. But it never happened and I went home. | |
I was meant to have a chest X-ray as well and that was cancelled." | |
I gave them my mobile number and they said they'd ring me back telling me when to come in. | |
You've got to sympathise with the nurses as they will have to work extra hours. | |
It was unbelievable you don't expect to go to hospital in the middle of a cyber-attack. Damn nuisance. | |
The virus, identified as WannaCry, exploits a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows software first identified by the US National Security Agency, experts have said. | |
The Liberal Democrats and Labour have both demanded an inquiry into the cyber-attack. | The Liberal Democrats and Labour have both demanded an inquiry into the cyber-attack. |
Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Lord Paddick said "it has left Britain defenceless". Labour's Jonathan Ashworth also called for a "full, independent inquiry" into the cyber-attack. | Lib Dem home affairs spokesman Lord Paddick said "it has left Britain defenceless". Labour's Jonathan Ashworth also called for a "full, independent inquiry" into the cyber-attack. |
Responding earlier, Ms Rudd said the government had doubled spending on cyber-security to £1.9bn between 2016 and 2021. | |
How did the attack work? | |
The ransomware used in the attack is called WannaCry and attacks Windows operating systems. | |
It encrypts files on a user's computer, blocking them from view, before demanding money, via an on-screen message, to access them again. | |
The virus is usually covertly installed on to computers by hiding within emails containing links, which users are tricked into opening. | |
Some experts say the attackers used a weakness in Microsoft systems which is known to the US National Security Agency as "EternalBlue". | |
A cybersecurity researcher tweeting as @malwaretechblog has claimed to have found a way to slow down the spread of the virus after registering a domain name hidden in the malware. | |
They said that the malware makes a request to a domain name, but if it is live the malware stops spreading. | |
A security update - or patch - was released by Microsoft in March to protect against the virus, but it appears many organisations have not applied the patch - or may still be using outdated systems like Windows XP. | |
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