Adrian Johnson
TLDR:
Two hospital trusts in London have suspended critical operations after a cyber attack targeted the pathology systems. The attack impacted blood tests provided by a supplier to the trusts, causing disruptions in bloodwork processing and patient care. The National Cyber Security Center is now involved in the incident.
Article:
Two hospital trusts in London, Kings College Hospital Foundation Trust and Guy’s and St Thomas’ Hospitals Foundation Trust, were forced to suspend critical operations following a cyber attack on their pathology systems. The attack targeted a supplier of blood tests, Synnovis, leading to disruptions in bloodwork processing and patient care.
Communication with labs was limited to paper only after Synnovis’ servers were taken offline, causing cancellations and reassignments of bloodwork appointments. GPs were instructed to cancel non-emergency pathology appointments and staff were advised to only request emergency blood samples for patients needing transfusions.
A critical incident has been declared, and the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC) is now involved in the response to the attack. Transplants have been impacted as patients cannot have their blood tests cross-checked, potentially causing delays lasting “weeks or months,” according to NHS sources.
Experts highlighted the vulnerability of healthcare providers to cyber attacks, as one breach can impact multiple entities and have fatal consequences. The incident also demonstrates the fragility of critical infrastructure in the UK and the lasting effects an attack on hospitals can have on patient data and care.
Moving forward, hospitals are advised to prioritize patching vulnerabilities, establish comprehensive security operations, and assess the security practices of third-party suppliers. Healthcare providers globally should take necessary steps to protect patient care and data in the face of cyber threats.
