NHS Scotland Board hit by a cyberattack

The National Health Service (NHS) Scotland’s Dumfries and Galloway health board operating in the south of Scotland was hit by a cyberattack. It is speculated that some sensitive patient data may have been compromised.

A statement from the healthcare provider stated, ‘During these incursions into our systems, there’s a risk that hackers have been able to acquire a significant quantity of data,’ and that ‘Breach of confidential data is an incredibly serious matter. We are encouraging everyone, staff, and the public, to be on their guard for any attempt to access their systems or approaches from anyone claiming to be in possession of data relating to them.’

The organisation is working with the Police and the UK’s National Cyber Security Center to assess the extent of the data breach and has initiated the security protocols. The healthcare provider has advised its customers to expect some service service disruptions.

NHS Dumfries and Galloway is the public organisation operating hospitals in Scotland, serving nearly 150,000 people. It serves one of fourteen regions of NHS Scotland, which is one of the four systems that make up the UK’s NHS.