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NHS email cyber-attacks at alarming numbers

Official records from NHS Digital reportedly show an alarming number of NHS email cyber-attacks, with the healthcare service said to have been hit by over 11 million in the last three years.

The data for the number of attacks that were successfully blocked was at a staggering 11,352,000 in the last three years. Although we can be positive about the fact that these attacks are those that were successfully stopped, the figures show the significant number of attacks that are taking place, and how much of a target the public healthcare system is.

The NHS was one of the worst-hit victims of the 2017 WannaCry incident as well. With them being such a target, what can be done when successful cyber-attacks take place?

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NHS confidentiality breach and the consequences

The consequences of an NHS confidentiality breach can be severe, which is why claims for medical data breach compensation must always be taken seriously.

A large volume of the individual claims we take forward are NHS data breach compensation claims. They can be common because of the volume of data that our national health service is responsible for processing and storing. On top of that, any data breach or leak involving medical data is generally severe given that it’s personal and sensitive information.

Data breach compensation amounts for these kinds of cases can be typically high. But what amounts to a legal case, and can we help you?

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NHS cybersecurity breach advice

If you’ve been the victim of an NHS cybersecurity breach, it’s important to know what you can do in terms of your rights for legal justice.

The NHS is a huge target for cybercriminals, and a lot of this stems from a lack of infrastructure and investment. It takes the government to ensure that the NHS is properly equipped to defend itself in the digital age, and it appears that they’re still falling short.

For the victims whose information is misused and / or compromised, it’s important to know what can be done when it comes to medical data breach compensation claims.

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NHS data compensation claims set to rise

NHS data compensation claims could be set to keep rising as news of substandard systems hit the media headlines this month.

We can tell you from experience that a large proportion of the people we help for individual and group action / multi-party cases are for NHS data breach compensation claims. Worryingly, recent investigation results led to MPs reportedly branding some NHS systems as ‘unfit for purpose’, with other systems branded as ‘hopeless’, which doesn’t fill patients with confidence at all.

Part of the problem is understood to be the variety of systems used, and the age of some of the IT the NHS are relying upon.

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Questions over health apps data security

Questions have been raised over health apps data security, as research indicates that some apps may be leaking data and sharing information without users really knowing about it.

Recent studies indicated that many health apps are sharing information with dozens of companies, including to marketing companies and digital advertising firms. Questions have been raised over whether the privacy policies for these apps are clear enough in explaining just how far the data they collect and share goes.

At the end of the day, when you download a health app, it’s for your personal use for monitoring your wellbeing or tracking your medication intake, as examples. Is it really fair to expect that your data will then be shared far and wide, and passed to companies for marketing purposes?

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Hackers selling stolen medical records online

It’s true that there’s an issue with hackers selling stolen medical records, normally on the dark web. The problems this can cause for victims can be huge.

Some people may not even be aware that their medical data has been stolen. Even the organisation(s) the data has been stolen from may not (yet) even be aware. Some victims of medical record hacks find out because of an instance of online exposure, or even successful or attempted cases of identity theft.

Claims for medical data breach compensation are some of the most common types of cases we deal with. The healthcare sector is a target, so know your rights if you end up being the victim of hackers selling stolen medical records related to you.

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Healthcare cybersecurity still a cause for concern

Recent study findings suggest that healthcare cybersecurity is still a cause for concern, with the healthcare industry itself a prime target for cybercriminals.

Underfunding and a lack of understanding by bosses means there are still huge gaps and vulnerabilities when it comes to healthcare cybersecurity, putting countless people’s private and sensitive medical data at risk of leaks and hacks.

It’s a simple case of pace: the healthcare industry doesn’t appear to be able to keep up to speed with the pace of the cybercriminals who are targeting them.

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Will fingerprint systems prevent data thefts in the healthcare industry?

In the digital era, the safety of data has been a huge concern for many industries. The healthcare industry has always been a prime target for cyberattackers, and it’s one of the industries that suffers the highest number of breaches.

There’s no surprise as to why this is the case. Medical records are seen as a treasure trove because they usually contain a wealth of personal information – enough information gathered for someone to seriously blackmail a victim, or perhaps even commit identity fraud.

Medical information is sensitive – so will new tech save us from future scandals?
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Medical data still the most commonly breached information

Healthcare breaches are common, but it can also be a case of them being more likely to be reported. Whichever way you look at it, something needs to be done about the continually growing trend of medical data breaches.

All those who work in the healthcare sector have a duty to not disclose, mishandle, or misuse a patients’ personal information. In fact, this is the very foundation of a patient / doctor relationship. However, while most people believe their personal information is protected, data breaches by the NHS and the healthcare sector remain far too common.
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Abbott to recall 465,000 pacemakers to patch up hacking risk

Another cybersecurity risk involving medical devices. These are, of course, very concerning.

Global healthcare and research firm Abbott is reportedly recalling 465,000 of their pacemakers after discovering a security vulnerability that could expose the medical device to malicious hackers. The recalled devices will have software updated to “reduce the risk of patient harm due to potential exploitation of cybersecurity vulnerabilities“, regulators confirm.

According to reports, hackers could “access a patient’s device using commercially available equipment” and “modify programming commands to the implanted pacemaker, which could result in patient harm from rapid battery depletion or administration of inappropriate pacing.”
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