NHS! Attacked

[Joffey]

Where the wicked Tory scum responsible for the damage caused by the hacks in all the other 76 countries too?

Certainly not. I was asking the question why the patch wasn't installed and Shaun has explained.

Be sure of one thing though, if Labour were in power and making cuts to the NHS the Tories would be questioning this too. Thankfully I support neither party but I do support the NHS and it's workers. I feel for the staff having to cope with all this mess. If only they could get a bit more funding it might just help deal with the aftermath of this attack which would ultimately benefit everyone.

 

[Shaun]

It's not an organisation or government thing, it's just computer savvy people exploiting known security holes in the world's most commonly used operating system.

Mac and Linux machines aren't as vulnerable, but end-users are all familiar with Windows and most commercial software is also produced for Windows, primarily, so companies use it by default.

 

[classic33]

It's not an organisation or government thing, it's just computer savvy people exploiting known security holes in the world's most commonly used operating system.

Mac and Linux machines aren't as vulnerable, but end-users are all familiar with Windows and most commercial software is also produced for Windows, primarily, so companies use it by default.

Will cash machines start giving out the wrong amounts?

 

[classic33]

It's not an organisation or government thing, it's just computer savvy people exploiting known security holes in the world's most commonly used operating system.

Mac and Linux machines aren't as vulnerable, but end-users are all familiar with Windows and most commercial software is also produced for Windows, primarily, so companies use it by default.

Remember this one?

 

[Inertia]

IF Microsoft issued a patch for this 5 months ago it's pretty disgusting that it hasn't been applied to the NHS systems. I wonder why? Maybe because they have no money and the Tories won't give them anymore? They can't cut doctors and nurses so maybe got ride of a few IT staff?

Not seen anything from our strong and stable leader yet...

Apparently some of the NHS machines are still using XP due to lack of funds to replace them, XP isnt supported anymore and wont be patched.

 

[bruce1530]

Apparently some of the NHS machines are still using XP due to lack of funds to replace them, XP isnt supported anymore and wont be patched.

...fortunately, XP doesn’t appear to be vulnerable to this particular malware.

 

[Inertia]

...fortunately, XP doesn’t appear to be vulnerable to this particular malware.

So much for the "experts" I was listening to then!

 

[Inertia]

...fortunately, XP doesn’t appear to be vulnerable to this particular malware.

DO you have a source that says they arent vulnerable btw? I have found some articles that say it is.

The exploit has the capability to penetrate into machines running unpatched version of Windows XP through 2008 R2 by exploiting flaws in Microsoft Windows SMB Server. This is why WannaCry campaign is spreading at an astonishing pace.

 

[classic33]

[QUOTE 4799921, member: 259"]Most of them use a variant of Windows XP. Which could be worrying.[/QUOTE]
Unless they give out twice what they should.

 

[mjr]

It's not an organisation or government thing, it's just computer savvy people exploiting known security holes in the world's most commonly used operating system.

Mac and Linux machines aren't as vulnerable, but end-users are all familiar with Windows and most commercial software is also produced for Windows, primarily, so companies use it by default.

...which is the fault of successive governments encouraging mainstream/core skills IT education to teach only Windows, to the point of it being a lot of work to use any other system!

The result is an IT ecosystem of proprietary clones with very little diversity, either internally or between systems. As Clifford Stoll wrote, if they built houses that way, the first woodpecker would wipe out civilisation!

Plenty of people have warned of this problem, but remedies so far have been weak and limited. There's a lot of money and vested interest in keeping the monopoly going.

 

[classic33]

...which is the fault of successive governments encouraging mainstream/core skills IT education to teach only Windows, to the point of it being a lot of work to use any other system!

The result is an IT ecosystem of proprietary clones with very little diversity, either internally or between systems. As Clifford Stoll wrote, if they built houses that way, the first woodpecker would wipe out civilisation!

Plenty of people have warned of this problem, but remedies so far have been weak and limited. There's a lot of money and vested interest in keeping the monopoly going.

It's been an easy use system, that many are familiar with. Even in private companies, nothing to do with governments dictating its sole use.

 

[ufkacbln]

I had a CT scan done within an hour of this happening. I do hope the results aren't lost, as getting to the hospital and having the procedure done was a right old faff.

There are some reports that imaging systems have been infected, but it is unclear whether it is the actual image storing program or simply the computer is locked and unable to access. The reports simply state unable to access images

Most scanners are independent systems that store the raw data and information separately to the networks. They are then either processed locally or sent to a second work station that processes and and again stores.

Only the final images are sent to a networked system that allows Doctors to report, and clinicians to see the images.

I should imagine that even if the main hospital IT system is hit, it will be this ability to see the images that is affected, and the image viewig program unaffected.

Even if the viewing software is affected, then your data should be safe on the scanner itself.


In an emergency, it is also possible to report the images from the scanners and write reports in the patient notes.

 

[User33236]

Apparently some of the NHS machines are still using XP due to lack of funds to replace them, XP isnt supported anymore and wont be patched.

Many XP machines still currently used in the NHS are older machines, with plenty of operational life left, running legacy software that the manufacturer has not made compliant with newer operating systems.

In all the cases I am aware of these systems are not connected to the trusts network.

 

[Flick of the Elbow]

Dear National Security Agency, any other bright ideas you'd like to share with us ?

 

[Drago]

Allowing access to patient records and scheduling software on the same machines that email and day to day rubbish are run on is the major vulnerability. Convenience placed ahead of security and business continuity.