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LAST UPDATE | 19 May 2021
THE DÁIL HAS heard that a “medical organisation from outside the State” contacted a patient offering them services they required and knew details of their medical history.
Labour leader Alan Kelly TD cautioned that if the incident was connected to the ongoing HSE hacking attack “we have a big problem”.
The revelation comes as the Financial Times reported today that it had seen screenshots and files proving that medical and personal information belonging to HSE patients had been shared online – in what it called the first confirmation of a data leak since the HSE ransomware attack.
Transport and Communications Eamon Ryan earlier described this reported data leak as “credible”.
The paper reported that as well as patient data, health service files and equipment purchase details had also been taken, and a ransom of $20 million had been sought.
Speaking in the Dáil today, Kelly said that people needed to be provided with a plan of action if their medical data has been compromised online.
“One of my local GPs was in touch one of his patients who had been contacted by a medical organisation from outside the state with all his details as regards a procedure he needed, his medical history,” Kelly said.
Effectively, knowing exactly what he required medically and offering in a short period of time to be able to provide the operation he needed, because obviously they could see that he wasn’t going to get them for some period of time as a public patient.
He added that the incident “seems to align very much” with the reports in the Financial Times.
The Tipperary TD said both the family in question and the GP had contacted gardaí over the issue and he asked the Taoiseach whether garda resources are sufficient if this example was to be replicated elsewhere.
“If this is happening across the country, happening in any scale, we have a big problem,” he said.
When will we be able to give guidance to the general public as regards what to do when the public have their own medical information very much available online.
In response to the reported incident, Taoiseach Micheál Martin said that people should indeed contact gardaí if an incident as outlined by Kelly were to take place.
“They should contact the gardaí and there’s a National Guard Cybercrime Bureau that is dealing with this issue on the criminal side and dealing with it from an investigation perspective,” he said.
The Taoiseach called the ransom attack on the HSE “despicable” and reiterated that Ireland could not pay a ransom.
“We are not engaged, and as a state we cannot become engaged in rewarding and funding this kind of criminality,” he said, adding:
“In terms of the plan, those who are endeavouring to hold the state to ransom would be very interested in finding out he government’s response. So there are limitations to the degree of public comment I’m going to make in terms of the state’s response,” he said.
The Taoiseach also said there is a “strongly coordinated effort” being made to get systems back online to ensure that the impact on health services is reduced.
Our Contact Tracing Centres are operational and people are being advised of their COVID-19 test results by text as normal. Please be aware that contact tracing may take longer than usual. pic.twitter.com/Csva5d4AwK
— HSE Ireland (@HSELive) May 19, 2021
The HSE is continuing to grapple with the fallout of the ransomware attack on its IT systems, with patients facing delays due to paper-based systems, or cancelled appointments. Radiology services (X-rays, CT and MRI scans) are particularly affected.
The delays could stretch into next week and beyond, as some 2,000 HSE systems are cleared by cyber security teams working with the HSE.
Even if these services are cleared and brought back online, there is still a risk that the hackers could publish sensitive and private data if the ransom they demand is not paid.
In an update this afternoon, the HSE has said that there are still “major disruptions” to appointments but that “viewing the HSE website is entirely safe” and that people should use it to access information.
“The picture is different in different parts of the country and the website is being updated on a continual basis,” the HSE said.
Work continues today in assessing the impact and beginning to restore HSE IT systems. This work will take many weeks and we anticipate major disruption will continue due to the shutdown of our IT systems. We should start to see some early signs of recovery in some sites over the coming days.
Our priority is to bring back key patient care systems in line with clinical priority and to keep our patients safe while maintaining essential care and support services.
Earlier today, the Minister for Communications said that he had seen the Financial Times article, and that it “seems credible”.
“We expected this sort of thing to happen, these sort of sites to be used and this information to be shared, that is very standard for what these criminal gangs do.
“It is, it is deeply regrettable,” he said, but added that the focus is on returning healthcare services to full operation.
The HSE is continuing to grapple with the fallout of a ransomware attack on its IT systems, with patients facing delays due to paper-based systems, or cancelled appointments. Radiology services (X-rays, CT and MRI scans) are particularly affected.
The delays could stretch into next week and beyond, as some 2,000 HSE systems are cleared by cyber security teams working with the HSE. Even if these services are cleared and brought back online, there is still a risk that the hackers could publish sensitive and private data if the ransom they demand is not paid.
When asked if it was still the plan to not pay the ransom, Ryan said: “Yeah, and we’re not talking to anyone.”
“What we’re doing is talking to each other, and collectively, to the whole swathe, hundreds of people (sic), now working within our system to restore our networks and to make sure that patient services are returned as soon as possible,” he said.
- With reporting by Gráinne Ní Aodha
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Well they should have moved earlier everyone knew what lay ahead
@John O Donoghue: “a baby recovering from pneumonia”, would I’m sure impact any travel arrangements they were trying to make, have a heart, everyone was late to this covid party, some people are still only arriving!..
@Kate Flaherty: the baby would’ve had a better chance at coming back earlier than now if they decided to take the right decision a couple of weeks ago. Now I doubt they’d be able make it home with how fast everything is escalating.
@Dalya Al-Tulaihi: The baby is recovering” we have no idea of the timeline, I’m sure they followed medical advice with regard travel etc..
@Kate Flaherty: well either way, I hope they get home safe and the baby is unaffected
@John O Donoghue: you’re in fowl form today and well done for knowing every ones circumstances. Good man.
@Dalya Al-Tulaihi: That we can agree on!…
@Kate Flaherty: would the govt jet be as cheap I wonder?
@John O Donoghue: Fishin for likes…. Go away yea clown!!!
@Dalya Al-Tulaihi: nonsense, nobody knew how the severe and fast the impact was going to be for EU and then the rest of the world. Everythings always cleared in hindsight
@John Egan: maybe you didn’t know, everyone with half a brain cell would’ve figured out it’ll be bad.
@John Egan: hindsight,
You could see this coming months ago
@Dalya Al-Tulaihi: we didn’t all go to college
@Paddy Dunne: share your knowledge of 2 months into the future with the rest of us then because I’m sure the WHO gladly accept your forcast
@Paddy Dunne: so you have been self isolating since January? I hope you use this crystal ball of yours to help others going forward
@John O Donoghue: you could do with a holiday
@John O Donoghue: stop
@Paddy Dunne: give us next weeks lotto numbers
Everyone’s a COVID expert now all of a sudden!
@Lochlainn Marcus: the known and unknowns of this virus are pretty clear. Doesn’t take anything particularly special to understand what the science already knows about this virus.
there is 2 Irish Airline Carriers with all their planes sitting on the deck, why cant one of these idle planes be hired, flown to peru to collect our citizens and return directly to Ireland where the plane can be sanitised and quarantined and the returning people can be quarantined for 14 days here, instead of flying them at ridiculous prices to a covid ridden London, then on to Dublin, then on to Irish Public Transport systems to get home?
@Alan K: what part of all Peruvian airports will close didn’t you understand?
massive cities in China in lockdown and in Europe. you think the virus wasn’t on every paper and TV channel in Peru? people had more than enough time to get home. they need to stay out of Ireland until the EU border reopens however long that may be.
@Alan K: because Peru won’t let them in!!!
@Quiggers: most posters here dont Google before they post. Or even read the articles.
@Alan K: Not 2 airline’s, only Aer Lingus have jets capable of flying to Peru, Ryanair only use 737 aircraft, which cant do the distance to Peru.
@Paul Furey: a lot of posters need a kick in the whole. this is just beginning. just wondering how many deaths per day it will take before it dawns on the plebs. the annual road traffic deaths on a daily basis maybe?
@Quiggers: nearly 800 alone in Italy today. Staggering and won’t hit home until it becomes personal
Well they should have moved earlier everyone knew what lay ahead
@John O Donoghue: agreed. I moved guests out of Dublin accommodation to my home in Wexford (putting my own life at risk) where they could walk and appreciate the country side. Thankfully now gone home to Canada. They should not of come here in the first place. The fecker is some Irish are travelling to Tennerife tomorrow for their discounted holiday. They deserve to be stuck there.
@Paul Somers: idiots
@Paddy Dunne: in this situation nobody knows where it end and how far it will go better off at home instead of been steamed and then expect the government to help them home
@Paul Somers: I don’t believe that
@Paul Somers: they deserve a spell in mountjoy.
@Paul Somers: will head out and pick up a medal for you
@Patrick Agnew: fact
@Paul Somers: Moving people from Dublin to Wexford is putting more than your life at risk. Stop spreading it around Paul.
@Paul Somers: Really? Anyone travelling out now can suffer the consequences when/if they return home
Please be mindful of the staff at Lisbon airport . We’re facilitating repatriations from other countries and the airport is packed . Keep your safety distances and wear a mask if possible . Protect yourself and the staff . Be kind .
Send the government jet, we own it don’t we
@Nan: The Learjet 45 has a range of 3k kilometers, Peru is 6k kilometers away. Even crossing the Atlantic would be awkward, it’d have to go to Newfoundland first and then stop again in order to make the long trip South. Not to mention complications about international flights landing for refuel (if this wasn’t an issue they could fly home themselves).
@Nan: The government jet would not be suitable. Have you seen the size of it?
@Nan: except it won’t be allowed to land. Bit of a problem there!
@Nan: hard luck Nan! Google before you post.
Sh;t hit the fan long before this deadline that was set. They should have used some cop and moved earlier instead of finding themselves in the situation they’re in now.
@Billy Davies: the would have but the cost of flights was beyond them. I know if it was me and family, I simply don’t have €12,000 to fly is home.
So many degenerates in this comment section(as per usual on the journal). We got 24hrs notice to leave, when all flights were already booked out. In a country with next to 0 cases compared to Europe.
@Sean Martin: completely agree Sean but sure everyone is an expert and don’t understand what is happening over here. I hope you get home safely soon too.
@Sean Martin: Best of luck sean hope you manage to work something out. So thoughtless of that govt to suddenly close airports and not let travelers already there make arrangememts. Its never that simple
@Anna69ii: Hi Anna. It wont accept my credit card. I’ve tried 3 different cards.
rightly so…
And what is that third paragraph?
Folks I know there is a lot of people that spend half their lives talking rubbish on social media for a bit of craic. I don’t understand it personally but please everyone just realise the gov has to order complete lockdown immediately. I drove down O’Connell street today (for urgent message) after 8 days in house with kids as per government recommendations. The footfall was nearly back to normal and it was like zombie land. Even worse than normal and the inner city is horrific for crime..it seems the gov message isn’t getting through to the locals. If Leo and his cronies have any respect for the health workers who are putting their lives at risk n not seeing kids/ families he should order lockdown immediately for period of two weeks at least as has been done in Spain France Italy etc etc
Send the Navy over for them
No effort or expense should be spared by the state to rescue these poor people from their holiday.
And what is that third paragraph?
The UK say that without complete obedience thay will be the next Italy. Due to the procrastination and arogance and failures of their leaders they will be the next Italy regardless of their populations obediance. In 4 weeks time they will be reporting 800 to 1000 deaths. Its very sad and tagic but the horse has bolted. All we can do is pray for the poor unfortunate people who get ill. I believe Ireland has a chance to beat this but we need a full lockdown to do it. We have a partial lockdown which is sub optimal.
Doesn’t matter where they are. Bigger risk if u go to airports. Just stay indoors for the next 15 days. Why the panic to get home? Coronavirus here too.
Go away with that now joe
@Poppa Noob: The Peru 135!! It took a few years for that other pair to get back. I don’t fancy this lots chances of getting home anytime soon.
Could think of worse places to be stuck, with all that snow n that
Colombian borders are now closed as well. There might be some people stuck here too.
Clearly the government should fund the full cost of getting these people home. This is an emergency situation. South Africa spent r35 million to fly its citizens home from China. Germany sent four planes to bring home its citizens stranded in Cape Town. This emergency situation demands an emergency response.
have your say