Exploit: Ransomware
Health Service Executive (HSE): National Healthcare Provider
Risk to Business: 1.668 = Severe
Ransomware rocked Ireland after the Conti gang perpetrated attacks on both the Department of Health and Ireland’s national healthcare provider Health Service Executive (HSE). HSE was forced to take action including shutting down the majority of its systems including all national and local systems involved in all core services and all major hospitals. The ransom demand is reported to be $20 million. The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has said the HSE became aware of a significant ransomware attack on some of its systems in the early hours of Friday morning and the NCSC was informed of the issue and immediately activated its crisis response plan. On Monday, May 18, officials announced that diagnostic services were still impacted as well as other patient care necessities. Officials alos said that it may take the Irish health service weeks to repair systems and restore all services, at a price that will reach into the tens of millions of euros.
Individual Impact: No sensitive personal or financial information was confirmed as compromised in this incident, but the investigation is ongoing.
Customers Impacted: Unknown
How it Could Affect Your Customers’ Business: Ransomware is the preferred weapon of cybercriminals at every activity level. Increased security awareness training makes organizations up to 70% less likely to experience damaging cybersecurity incidents like this one.