There was a rather interesting article in the Sunday Mail three weeks ago North of the border. It would seem the Scottish equivalent of the NHS mess that is Connecting for Health, was targetted by hackers and all they went for was the records of senior politicians and celebrities.Apparently, the system that was hacked contained information on current medication and any adverse reactions to prescribed medicines. Putting aside the potentially damaging discolsure it would be if it was found that Gordon Brown was being prescribed something like valium, this sort of information could also be used in an assasination attempt, which makes the breach pretty bloody serious.
Strange that it has not been picked up as a story elsewhere in the national press. D-Notice perhaps? I'm sure that Connecting for Health won't be subject to these sort of security risks though, it will be a perfect system delivered on time and in budget and just be spiffingly secure.
Update: Pro-Nurse covered it as did El Reg at the time, but apart from that I can't find anything else on it, which seems odd. I might just be crap at searching though.
19 comments:
He's on something and much stronger than valium.
I remember that BBC Scotland 6:30 News covered this story though principally about Jackie Bird. If I remember correctly they didn't make any mention of the other high profile people who could have been hacked.
Broon is on Malt, a bottle a day, at least
I thought the BBC covered it south of the border as well.
I don't need your human medicine anyway, I'm the President of The Galaxy.
This financial crisis started on one of the other spiral arms, this is a Galactic problem and yes Dizzy it requires a Galactic sowleuweshun.
No daddy, no daddy don't make me go in the dark again.
May I remind the honourable gentleman that he says he'll 'do nothing' all the time, he hardly draws breath between saying it. Look he's muttering it under his breath right now, I saw it! I saw it! Daddy Gordon is so clever!! He shan't ever go in the dark place again! Noooooooooooo
I suppose it would depend on whether he's registered with a Scottish GP or not?
Where can I sign up for the assassination attempt?
Is this really classed as a hack (crack) attempt?? It seems that doctors can access the database with the patients' permission unless they are unconscious or otherwise unable to give consent.
It seems more like a system that is easily open to abuse and access by health professionals rather than a deliberate hacking attempt.
I had heard this story in the news before but it didn't click with me when I read your blogpost because you made it sound more malicious than mischievous.
Lovely to see that in all probability it was a good old-fashioned 'route 1' bit of 'hacking'.
It's breathtaking that you still get ministers standing up and declaring systems 100% secure just because some B-grade civil servant tells them "don't worry it's got one million bit encryption"
'One senior politician affected said “I was very reassured by the fact the health service quickly spotted this intrusion and dealt with it. It speaks volumes for the way the system is run.”'
Translation: I was very reassured how quickly the stable door was bolted after it was noticed the horse had departed.
Anna Raccoon covered it too!
http://www.annaraccoon.com/?p=753
Medical records of Gordon Brown and Alex Salmond hacked
Prime Minister's health records breached in database attack
Anonymous said...
Where can I sign up for the assassination attempt?
Get to the back of the queue!!!!
'nothing to hide, nothing to fear, lessons will be learned so move along nothing to see'!
Word is he's on Largactil.
I thought I'd seen this news before. The hack happened back before December and there was a big story at the beginning of December about how various Scottish media personalities had had their medical records hacked. However there was no mention of politicians.
I wonder if they knew at the time and suppressed it and it's only coming out now at the trial?
bit of backtracking on the radio this morning? (see item at 0847)
http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_7954000/7954517.stm
How about people with pacemakers being hacked via wireless signals?
Whatever happened to standing up for the BS.
It is important to make sure that all of your medical records are safe and secure which is why I am thrilled that they are going to be turning all medical records into electronic medical records. I feel allot safer knowing that not just anyone who stumbles into the office can look through my medical records and steal all of my personal information.
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