Hacker alert for hospitals

HACKERS could switch off vital hospital equipment connected to the internet, a report warns.

The Royal Academy of Engineering said that not enough was being done to protect Britain from cyber attacks.

It said interfering with an MRI scanner could lead to a false diagnosis, while hacking a drug pump could result in a fatal overdose. Report author, Paul Taylor, said: ‘Government needs to consider whether existing regulation is fit for purpose.’

Researchers also warned that internet devices in the home, such as security cameras, could be easily hijacked, allowing hackers to spy on families.

Last year 6,900 NHS appointments were cancelled as hackers hit a third of NHS trusts with so-called ‘ransom’ software.