In 2017, the NHS was the victim of a worldwide cyber attack called “WannaCry”. The news broke that the NHS was using system that were out of date and vulnerable to the EternalBlue exploit. It damaged the NHS’s ability to operate during this time, and put many other companies and users into a frenzy.
What about the potential of another cyber attack?
With WannaCry being resolved and the NHS doing its best to keep its data protected, they’ve now teamed up with Microsoft in a new partnership deal that’ll protect from severe cyber attacks in the future.
Microsoft’s Enterprise Threat Detection Service has the ability to detect any potential cyber events or a cyber attack taking place on their network and systems and follow the problem back to its original infection. (i.e. a user’s PC on the network)
Alerts will be sent about the threat to the IT system and will include a rundown description of the infection or event and will even offer advice on how to treat it.
NHS Digital (a subsidiary of NHS that provides IT, Data and information to different sectors) has added this to its arsenal in the fight against cyber attacks. It was piloted with NHS Digital and the Blackpool Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust and was found to be successful. They have now deployed the system via 30,000 machines in health and care settings across England and other trusts and practices.
The director of security for NHS Digital referred to the partnership as a way to “further bolster protection against cyber security issues in the NHS. –This marks a step change in our capability to provide high quality, targeted alerts to allow organisations to counter these threats and ensure patients’ needs continue to be met.”
In November, it’s was reported by Digital Health News that the NHS would spend £20 million to hire third party expert security specialists to test the defences and security put in place by NHS Digital.
NHS Digital still provides cybersecurity defence and support to the organisation across multiple levels from advice, threat awareness, alerting systems and protection against cyber events.
“It’s encouraging then, that Microsoft and NHS Digital are working together on a system that will enable healthcare providers to react more quickly to threats to their IT networks.” Rob Bolton, director – Infoblox.
After an investigation performed by the National Audit Office after the NHS was infected by the WannaCry attack discovered that it could have been prevented by “basic IT security”. This move is a preferred one by the public and clearly shows the affects that a cyber event has on a company.
Worried about your server or computers?
Cyber insurance is becoming an important part of many businesses cyber toolkits. No business, big or small which uses computers, the internet or holds data is safe from the threats. Cyber insurance can help businesses by offering cover for:
- Hardware – Breakdown, loss, theft or damage
- Data corruption – Restoration of computer systems
- Cyber crime – Covering financial losses
- Cyber liability – paying for defence costs arising from a claim against the business
- Data-breach Expense – cyber attack, legal advice, Crisis Management, audits & security upgrades
- Loss of Income – cover for loss of income following a cyber event.
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