June 5, 2024 at 02:00PM
Cyber criminals from the Qilin ransomware operation have targeted pathology services provider Synnovis, impacting several major NHS hospitals in London. The attack has caused disruptions to primary healthcare services and led to the postponement and cancellation of non-emergency appointments and surgeries. The group is known for double-extortion attacks, demanding ransom ranging from $25,000 to millions of dollars.
The meeting notes provide details about a ransomware attack that impacted a pathology services provider, leading to disruptions at several major NHS hospitals in London. The attack has been linked to the Qilin ransomware operation, with the CEO of the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre mentioning that it is likely the work of a Russian cybercriminal group. The attack has caused significant disruptions to healthcare services, including postponement and cancellation of non-emergency appointments, blood transfusions, and surgeries. The NHS has reported that urgent and emergency services are operational, while the cyber incident response team is assessing the impact on patient and employee data. The Qilin ransomware operation, which initially surfaced under the name “Agenda”, has been active since 2022 and has targeted over 130 companies with a particular focus on developing advanced Linux encryptors to target enterprise organizations. The attackers employ double-extortion tactics, pressuring targeted companies to meet their ransom demands. The dark web leak site associated with Qilin is currently inaccessible, although it is unclear if this is linked to the recent ransomware attack.