For the past month Ireland’s health-care system has been in disarray. On May 14th the Health Service Executive (hse), the state-funded health-care provider, was hit by a “ransomware” attack which led it to shut down most of its computer systems. The attackers threatened to release stolen data, including confidential patient records, unless the hse stumped up $20 million (16.5 million euros). It declined to do so. Its staff were reintroduced to pen and paper, its procedures delayed, its patients inconvenienced. By June 14th services had still not returned to normal.
The Economist: Ransomware highlights the challenges and subtleties of cybersecurity
A technician works on a protective cybersecurity system on Jan. 22, 2019 in Lille, during the 11th International Cybersecurity Forum.
