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New Zealand health systems hackers release patient details to the media

23 Comments

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Cyber-crimes like this are becoming more frequent and important recently, at this point it is just safer to assume any system will be eventually breached and to have a detailed plan about what to do when your private information is made public.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

No demands from the hackers ?

The health board is refusing to pay, and are adamant the never will, hence the release of the patient information. They would rather rebuild their systems from scratch.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

The government has refused to pay any ransom to the hackers

Would encourage more attacks otherwise

8 ( +8 / -0 )

A few obvious points:

Punishment for hacking needs to be more severe.

Software providers need more incentives to make their products more secure.

Bitcoin is the currency of hackers.

12 ( +12 / -0 )

Authorities would not comment on whether the cyber attackers had put forward any demands.

but

The government has refused to pay any ransom to the hackers.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

And how did they want to be paid? Some form of Crypto no doubt..... Another nail in the Bitcoin coffin?

7 ( +8 / -1 )

Well this is becoming a serious problem but I figure Japan is fairly safe because it's systems are such a mess even the government authorised users can't figure it out most of the time and then we have the paperwork and by that I mean actual paper let's not forget the hanko!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Typical from Jacinda Ardern's government. The health bureaucracy unable to put together sufficiently robust IT systems - weak leadership from Ardern as normal.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

Typical from Jacinda Ardern's government.

That’s completely wrong and unfair. I don’t like her political activities too, but the only ones to fully blame are those crazy hackers, not the government or IT staff.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

The health board is refusing to pay, and are adamant the never will, hence the release of the patient information. They would rather rebuild their systems from scratch.

It’s an interesting one.

Who owns this data - the public health system, or the health care consumers who have had their details released?

Glad I’m not a patient of this organization.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The government will pay the hackers once the hackers start publicizing the actual health data of the government officials. Let's see, the mayor needed penicillin treatments three years ago. Oh, the governor's daughter had a teenage pregnancy. Hmmm, the program administrator's spouse had prescriptions of methadone and buprenorphine (in other words, to treat an addiction.)

Right now, the hackers have only released names, phone numbers and addresses of patients and staff. Wait until they release sensitive patient information, especially of those with the ability to pay a ransom...

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Scum. They should target evil multinational corporations, not hospitals. Scum.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Typical from Jacinda Ardern's government. The health bureaucracy unable to put together sufficiently robust IT systems 

Very few companies or public agencies seem able to defeat determined hackers. It only takes the hackers one employee making a simple mistake to break in. It is very hard to train employees to think cyber security every time they touch an electronic device. Some of their phishing e-mails look so close to a legitimate e-mail that even security pros can get bamboozled.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

And how did they want to be paid? Some form of Crypto no doubt..... Another nail in the Bitcoin coffin?

Heh, someone who thinks that there is a way to shut down bitcoin. Cute.

If there were a way to shut it down, governments and banks would have done it already. They hate the existence of bitcoin. And yet, there is literally nothing any government can do to turn it off. Nothing. Literal impossibility.

That said, I'm open to being proven wrong. Tell us how anyone can shut down bitcoin. And I mean anyone - individual, government, anything.

The only way I can se it being shut down is a world-wide complete and total collapse of the internet (or rather, the real-world infrastructure that supports it).

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

letsberealistic writes: "Probably...testing out future attacks on more prominent targets (i.e. Japan, US, UK)."

Irelands entire health system is not prominent? And new Zealand's case wasnt the entire health system but it is "promient" and very serious. Any health system's at all attacked are extremely serious. Preying on people already suffering. One example are childrens hospitals. Think about it. Children suffering from Cancers having their treatments and diagnostic procedures placed into turmoil.

But what the hell is going on in Russia? Who is in charge? First this Hacking, then the Belarus skyjacking and now russian ship crashing into a Japanese ship?

1 ( +1 / -0 )

After over 25 years of the Internet being common worldwide, it's hard to believe that we still have hacks as frequent as this.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Tell us how anyone can shut down bitcoin. And I mean anyone - individual, government, anything.

Governments outlaw the mining, possession, sale, trade, transfer or use of digital currencies that are not an official currency issued by and backed by a recognized national government as part of a regulated national currency. If it is illegal to own and use, no legitimate merchant will accept it in payment because they will not be able to deposit it in their bank or pay their suppliers with it.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

After over 25 years of the Internet being common worldwide, it's hard to believe that we still have hacks as frequent as this.

How many individuals with an e-mail account know what phishing, spear phishing or whaling are? How many individuals with e-mail accounts know how to recognize a phishing e-mail from a legitimate one? How many such users know not to open attachments from senders you do not recognize? How many such users scrutinize every single e-mail they receive with a suspicious eye looking for the signs that this e-mail is the one that is going to turn your home computer into a bot for criminal purposes? The crooks and spooks of the world succeed because most people cannot practice 100% perfect internet security 24/7/365. The bombard a companies employees with these e-mails knowing the odds are that at least one tired or distracted employee will bite their hook and once they open that e-mail the rest is not very hard to do.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

But what the hell is going on in Russia? Who is in charge? First this Hacking, then the Belarus skyjacking and now russian ship crashing into a Japanese ship?

Russia is governed by criminals. It is thoroughly corrupt. As long as you publicly support the continued rule of Vladimir Putin and you don't do something that brings public embarrassment to Mr. Putin, his allies or the Russian nation, you can pretty much do anything you want in Russia with impunity and especially so if you have money. The skipper of the ship that hit that Japanese fishing boat will probably face charges. He made Russia look bad. But criminals hacking western websites? No problem. Those don't embarrass Russia but rather enhance their tough guy image.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Governments outlaw the mining, possession, sale, trade, transfer or use of digital currencies that are not an official currency issued by and backed by a recognized national government as part of a regulated national currency. If it is illegal to own and use, no legitimate merchant will accept it in payment because they will not be able to deposit it in their bank or pay their suppliers with it.

Um, how do you think that would make it disappear? Those are measures that would limit its pickup as a replacement to standard currencies, but it will still exist. It's not like every country would do what you suggest. This would open up a market for countries that don't have any interest in banning it.

Also note that you're suggesting an authoritarian state determine that its citizens should not be allowed to use their money in ways that do not allow the government to track it. Yay for authoritarianism!

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Even among the black hats hackers, attacking healthcare institutions is considered crossing a line

They attack rich companies, not people's healths

Some black hats would even counter-attack those hackers

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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