Well hacked off by cyber attacks
■ MARTIN: ATTACK ON HSE PARALYSED SYSTEM FOR WEEKS ■ SUPERBUGS, PANDEMICS & SUPPLIES ALSO HUGE RISK
CYBER criminals are a key threat to Ireland – especially since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the Tanaiste has warned.
And Micheal Martin yesterday admitted that the cyber-attack on the HSE almost three years ago paralysed the health system for weeks.
Mr Martin, who is also the Minister for Defence, also warned that Ireland had to collaborate with other nations to protect vital subsea data cables off our west coast.
The Tanaiste made his comments as he launched the latest national risk assessment – which details every possible threat to the country, from bad weather to a terror attack.
When asked what he believed were the biggest threats, the Tanaiste said: “Cyber security is a key risk. Since the war in Ukraine and the Russian invasion of Ukraine cyber attacks have increased exponentially.”
Experts say as much as 75 per cent of all cyber attacks in the world originate from Russia – and it’s thought the May 2021 ransomware onslaught on the HSE came from there.
It took weeks for experts to regain control of the HSE computer system – and the Tanaiste described the attack as devastating.
He said: “We experienced our own cyber-attack on our health service, which basically paralysed our health service for a number of weeks and entailed extraordinary human cost and financial cost.”
The Tanaiste also said he was worried about by the climate change threat.
He said: “We need to adapt more quickly to climate because climate is happening right now.
“And we have witnessed that in terms of the flooding. Our water levels are very high – will that affect our food production system issue in terms of tillage?
“I see climate as very high (risk).”
Vulnerable
Ireland has also been warned that subsea data cables off our west coast could be vulnerable to attack and Martin said the State is working to protect them.
He said: “Everyone has an idea it’s all about ships. Yes, we need ships on the oceans and we have an issue with recruitment and retention.
“But the more fundamental issue actually is around collaborating with others and identifying any third actors or people who shouldn’t be in a given zone. And there is huge collaboration.”
The report also warns Ireland is at risk from superbug infections that are resistant to antibiotics.
The report says antimicrobials, known as AMR, are making it more difficult to treat common infections.
Other top risks facing Ireland, based on likelihood and impact, are another pandemic and disruption to critical supply chains.