THE NHS has warned nearly 150,000 patients that following a ransomware attack their health records have been exposed and they could be targeted by criminals, The Telegraph reports.
NHS Dumfries and Galloway, which covers an estimated 149,000 people, plans to send leaflets to all patients to advise them of the serious situation.
The test results, internal correspondence about them, and complaints records are likely to have been stolen in a cyber attack in February and this could expose patients to blackmail and extortion attempts by hackers.
The data was published in March on the dark web after the hackers’ demands were rejected.
The NHS had earlier estimated that around thousands of patients were affected, but it now fears the number may be much higher.
Those affected are being told to be on their guard for any attempts to access their computer systems, and anyone facing blackmail attempts has been advised to contact the police.
NHS Dumfries and Galloway officials claim that while criminals were able to copy information they could not alter patient records. They added that their computer systems are now secure.
Police Scotland is investigating the attack.
Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in northwest of London, in July 2024. (Photo: Hertfordshire Police /Handout via REUTERS)
Crossbow murderer found guilty of raping ex-girlfriend
A 26-YEAR-OLD man who murdered three women in a crossbow and stabbing attack has been found guilty of raping one of them, his ex-girlfriend, a British court ruled on Thursday.
Kyle Clifford had previously pleaded guilty to the murders of BBC sports commentator John Hunt’s wife and two daughters at their home in Bushey, northwest of London, in July 2024.
The attack led to a manhunt before Clifford was found injured hours later in a north London cemetery.
A jury at Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday convicted Clifford of raping 25-year-old Louise Hunt before killing her.
His sentencing for all the crimes is scheduled for Tuesday.
Clifford had admitted to murdering Carol Hunt, 61, and her daughters Louise and Hannah, 28. He had also pleaded guilty to charges of false imprisonment and possessing offensive weapons but denied raping Louise.
During the trial, the court heard that after killing Carol Hunt, Clifford waited for an hour before attacking Louise, tying her up, raping her, and then killing her with a crossbow. He later killed Hannah when she returned home from work.
The prosecution described Clifford, a former soldier, as committing a "violent, sexual act of spite" and said he was "enraged" after Louise ended their 18-month relationship. They told the court that he had "carefully planned" the attack.
Less than 24 hours before the killings, Clifford had searched for a podcast by social media influencer Andrew Tate, according to the prosecution. They argued that the murders were driven by the "violent misogyny promoted" by Tate.
Justice Joel Bennathan called Clifford’s crimes "dreadful" and "almost unspeakable".
(With inputs from AFP)