Greater vigilance urged in wake of cyber attack

Pledge of enhanced security after NHS systems targeted

Action to increase cyber security is to be stepped up in Scotland in the wake of the ransomware attack on NHS computer systems.

Justice Secretary Michael Matheson said more than 120 public bodies were being contacted to ensure their defences were adequate.

He said NHS systems in Scotland were expected to be recovered by today and reassured patients with appointments they should attend as planned.

Eleven health boards as well as NHS National Services and the Scottish Ambulance Service were affected in an unprecedented cyber attack that hit scores of countries on Friday.

Organisations across the globe, including investigators from the National Crime Agency (NCA), are working to hunt down those responsible for the Wanna Decryptor ransomware.

Mr Matheson said the Scottish Government was liaising closely with the National Cyber Security Centre and NHS Scotland to identify the cause of the attack.

Ministers are to convene an extraordinary meeting of the National Cyber Resilience leaders’ board today to review the response to the breach.

The justice secretary said: “Friday’s attack has highlighted the need for everyone to have appropriate and robust measures in place to protect against cyber attacks which could strike any IT system at any time.

“We must remain particularly vigilant against further incidents and the Scottish Government is taking action to enhance security, including contacting over 120 public bodies to ensure they have appropriate defences in place.”

NHS Tayside moved to allay any fears people had over cyber security.

A spokesman said: “We would like to reassure the public that no NHS Tayside systems or hospital sites have been affected by this UK-wide cyber attack. There is no impact on NHS Tayside’s emergency departments, outpatient clinics or out-of-hours service. This means that patients with hospital and outpatient appointments should attend for them as normal.

“The IT systems of a small number of GP practices across Tayside, which operate independently of NHS Tayside’s systems, were affected and our eHealth team is working with these practices to resolve this issue.

“All GP practices affected will be returned to normal operational status before Monday morning. Services provided by GP practices will continue and patient appointments are not affected, patients should attend and contact their GP practice as normal.”

The threat from the cyber attack “will continue to grow” as people return to work today, the head of Europol warned.

Speaking to ITV’s Peston on Sunday, Europol director Rob Wainwright said the attack was indiscriminate across the private and public sectors.

“At the moment we are in the face of an escalating threat, the numbers are going up, I am worried about how the numbers will continue to grow when people go to work and turn their machines on Monday morning.

“The latest count is over 200,000 victims in at least 150 countries.”

A British cyber whiz was hailed an “accidental hero” after he registered a domain name that unexpectedly stopped the spread of the virus, which exploits a vulnerability in Microsoft Windows software.

The anonymous specialist, known only as MalwareTech, prevented more than 100,000 computers across the globe from being infected.