An NHS software program supplier has been fined £3m by the Data Commissioner’s Workplace (ICO) over safety failings that led to a ransomware assault on the NHS.
The Superior Pc Software program Group was fined for a breach that put private info of 79,404 individuals in danger, the UK’s knowledge safety watchdog mentioned.
The agency offers IT and software program companies to organisations across the nation, together with the NHS and different well being suppliers, dealing with info in its position as a knowledge processor.
The breach befell in August 2022, when hackers gained entry to sufferers’ cellphone numbers and medical data in addition to particulars of how you can achieve entry to the houses of 890 individuals receiving care at residence.
The unidentified hackers had been capable of achieve entry to the data through the use of a buyer’s account that didn’t have adequate safety within the type of multi-factor authentication.
The regulator’s investigation concluded that Superior didn’t have acceptable safety measures in place previous to the incident.
The cyberattack led to the disruption of essential companies together with NHS 111, and left some healthcare workers unable to entry affected person data.
Software program used to facilitate affected person check-ins was additionally impacted.
Final 12 months, the regulator criticised Superior over the incident, which positioned “additional pressure” on a “sector already below stress”.
Whereas the corporate had put in multi-factor authentication throughout a lot of its techniques, “the dearth of full protection” was criticised by Data Commissioner John Edwards.
“The safety measures of Superior’s subsidiary fell critically wanting what we’d count on from an organisation processing such a big quantity of delicate info,” Mr Edwards mentioned.
He added the superb ought to function a “stark reminder” to organisations to make sure they’ve “strong safety measures in place”.
“There isn’t a excuse for leaving any a part of your system weak,” Mr Edwards added.
Final 12 months, the ICO introduced it supposed to impose a provisional £6m superb on Superior for the breach.
Nonetheless, the watchdog mentioned the sum had been halved due to the proactive engagement of Superior with police, cyber safety companies and the NHS following the assault.
