London Hospitals Hit by Ransomware
Earlier this month, several hospitals and clinics in London were targeted by a sophisticated ransomware attack attributed to a Russia-backed group. The aftermath is ongoing, with 400GB of patient data leaked online, affecting the personal information of millions.
What Happened:
- On June 3, hospitals like King’s College and Guy’s and St Thomas’ were severely impacted
- Critical operations, including blood transfusions, faced significant disruptions
- The NHS is now in the painstaking process of verifying the leaked data to mitigate further damage
- Russian group Quilin is suspected, with financial motives
How to protect your Organization against Ransomware:
The guidelines below will help you protect your organization against Ransomware and its associated security threats
- Ensure systems are patched and updated with the latest versions and security patches.
- Regularly back up (immutable back up) your data, preferably with immutable backups, to counter ransomware.
- Filter executable files in email to block “.exe”, “.scr”, “.bat”, and similar files.
- Disable files running from AppData/LocalAppData folders using rules or Host Intrusion Prevention software.
- Disable macros in Microsoft Office files to prevent the use of scripting languages.
- Avoid opening emails from unknown sources and be wary of emails requesting sensitive information.
- Keep antivirus software up to date and use real-time protection.
- Implement a Security Awareness program.
- Enable MFA for Remote Access (VPN) services.
Stay safe and vigilant
