Hackers at London’s hospitals release stolen patient blood test results

The leak of private information from NHS blood testing company has had a devastating impact on many London hospitals.

Since breaking in on June 3, Qilin has been trying to get money from NHS provider Synnovis.
Unless they were paid, the organization had already warned the BBC that they would reveal the information.
They uploaded 400 GB to their darknet website and Telegram channel on Thursday night to expose confidential information.
Included in the data set are patient names, birthdates, National Health Service (NHS) numbers, and details about blood tests. The results of the tests may or may not be part of the data.
Synnovis, hospitals, and general practitioner services have all entered into financial agreements, which are outlined in corporate account spreadsheets.

With over a thousand doctor’s appointments and operations impacted by the interruption of pathology. The aftermath of the Synnovis hack has been one of the biggest cyber-attacks ever in the UK.
Hackers using ransomware encrypted critical data, rendering IT systems worthless, after infiltrating the systems of the organization utilized by two NHS trusts in London.
The criminals continued their strategy of extorting the company for Bitcoin ransom by downloading as much confidential data as possible, as is typical for such gangs.
Whether or not Synnovis entered into negotiations with the hackers or the amount they demanded is unknown. However, Qilin did not pay because they have released part or even all of the data.
Not paying the ransom supports the criminal operation and doesn’t ensure the perpetrators will carry out their threats, according to law enforcement organizations worldwide.
Hackers are targeting healthcare organizations more frequently because they know they can do a lot of damage and, occasionally, make a lot of money, according to Brett Callow, an expert on ransomware from Emsisoft.
The healthcare sector is currently the target of cybercriminals because that is where the money lies. And the industry is in the spotlight more than ever before after United Health Group allegedly paid a $22 million [£17.3 million] ransom earlier this year,” he added.
Qilin told the BBC through an encrypted messaging app on Tuesday night that they had intentionally targeted Synnovis as retaliation against the UK for its insufficient involvement in an unnamed conflict.
This time around, Qilin—which has a history of trying to extort money—said it had launched a cyberattack in protest.
The victims of this tragedy have our deepest sympathies. Please don’t hold us responsible for what has happened; we deny any wrongdoing. The government is to blame.
The majority of people are skeptical of Qilin’s assertions that she has an activism agenda.
For financial gain, they have sold stolen information from many institutions, including schools, businesses, and governments, on their dark web portal.

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Many people believe that the group is situated in Russia, where many ransomware crews are believed to operate, as they have refused to reveal their location.
The characterization of the battle against Russia’s invasion by the Ukrainians as a situation where the British authorities do not prioritise the lives of those fighting on the front edge of the Hospitalfree world is reminiscent of similar descriptions in the past.
However, it could also indicate that Russian forces are actively involved in hostilities with the Ukrainians.
Two NHS trusts in London employ blood testing services provided by Synnovis, which the organization claims it attacked on purpose.
A shortage of medications and donated blood is causing “our citizens to die in unequal combat,” the statement said.
According to earlier reports from researchers, external Qilin advertised hacker recruitment in Russian.
Ukraine has apprehended several suspected ransomware hackers in the past several months, making the presence of Qilin hackers there unusual but not uncommon.
Because the Russian government stubbornly refuses to cooperate with Western demands, hacker arrests in Russia are extremely unusual.
“For security reasons,” Qilin declined to provide further details regarding its political affiliation or location.

Read more: a cancer procedure was postponed due to a cyber attack

Also read at: BBC