Blood testing partnership Synnovis has issued a warning that its hacked blood transfusion services may not be fully operational again until the autumn. The company’s systems were targeted by ransomware hackers, causing significant disruption and leading to the cancellation of hundreds of operations and thousands of appointments.
Synnovis, a partnership between Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, King’s College Hospitals NHS Trust, and Synlab, a commercial testing firm, has been working tirelessly to rebuild the affected systems. The hackers demanded payment to restore access to the systems, but Synnovis refused to give in to their demands.
As a result of the cyber attack, the NHS has made an urgent appeal for blood donors as stocks have dropped to “unprecedentedly low” levels. The situation has highlighted the vulnerability of healthcare systems to cyber threats and the importance of robust cybersecurity measures.
Dr. Chris Streather, medical director for NHS London, expressed optimism about the progress being made in restoring the blood transfusion services. He acknowledged that there will be continued challenges and delays in planned operations, but emphasized the importance of patients attending their appointments unless advised otherwise.
The cyber-criminal group Qilin has claimed responsibility for the attack and attempted to extort money from Synnovis. The group posted stolen data online, including patient information such as names, dates of birth, and NHS numbers. The company is still investigating how the hack occurred and the extent of the data breach.
Despite the challenges faced by Synnovis, the partnership remains committed to providing essential blood testing services to patients. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the destructive and disruptive nature of ransomware attacks and the importance of cybersecurity in safeguarding critical healthcare systems.
