Security News

East Londoners nicked under Computer Misuse Act after NHS vaccine passport app sprouted clump of fake entries
2021-12-16 16:04

British police have made a series of arrests over the past few months after people with apparent access to NHS databases allegedly sold fake vaccination status entries on the NHS vaccine passport app. Detective Superintendent Helen Rance said: "The staff at both trusts did the right thing and reported their concerns, which has allowed us to fully investigate the circumstances. I want to reassure the public that no systems were hacked into from outside of the NHS networks and the integrity of the NHS systems remains robust."

NHS Digital exposes hundreds of email addresses after BCC blunder copies in entire invite list to 'Let's talk cyber' event
2021-10-20 11:28

NHS Digital has scored a classic Mail All own-goal by dispatching not one, not two, not three, but four emails concerning an infosec breakfast briefing, each time copying the entirety of the invite list in on the messages. The first email sent yesterday morning thanked participants for "Registering for NHS Digital's Full Digital Breakfast: Let's talk cyber, scheduled for Thursday 21 October 2021, 8:00-9:00am."

NHS-backed org reacted to GitHub leak disclosure with legal threats and police call, complains IT pro
2021-05-14 10:02

IT pro Rob Dyke says an NHS-backed company not only threatened him with legal action after he flagged up an exposed GitHub repository containing credentials and insecure code, it even called the police on him. What happened next united infosec professionals across the world as well as triggering a crowdfundraiser and a behind-the-scenes legal war: we're told Apperta sent Dyke legal demands, and followed those up by alleging to the cops that he broke Britain's computer security laws.

NHS App gets go-ahead for vaccine passport use despite protest from privacy groups
2021-05-11 15:15

Folks in England can from next week use the NHS App to confer their vaccination status, in the face of warnings that the technology could lead to identifiable medical information being exposed. The British government has announced that from 17 May, people will be able to demonstrate their COVID-19 vaccination status - a so-called vaccine passport or certificate - using the NHS App, which began its public rollout in January 2019, well before the pandemic.

NHS App gets go-ahead for UK vaccine passport use despite protest from privacy groups
2021-05-11 15:15

Folks in England can from next week use the NHS App to confer their vaccination status, in the face of warnings that the technology could lead to identifiable medical information being exposed. The British government has announced that from 17 May, people will be able to demonstrate their COVID-19 vaccination status - a so-called vaccine passport or certificate - using the NHS App, which began its public rollout in January 2019, well before the pandemic.

Beware of this active UK NHS COVID-19 vaccination phishing attack
2021-01-25 23:27

A very active phishing campaign is underway pretending to be from the UK's National Health Service, alerting recipients that they are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The phishing email, shown below, asks the recipient if they want to accept or decline the invitation to schedule their COVID-19 vaccination.

Beware of active UK NHS COVID-19 vaccination phishing campaign
2021-01-25 23:27

A very active phishing campaign is underway pretending to be from the UK's National Health Service, alerting recipients that they are eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The phishing email, shown below, asks the recipient if they want to accept or decline the invitation to schedule their COVID-19 vaccination.

Test and Trace chief Dido Harding prompted to self-isolate by NHS COVID-19 app
2020-11-18 12:11

There's nothing quite like eating your own dog food, as Test and Trace chief Baroness Dido Harding has learned after being instructed to self-isolate by the NHS COVID-19 contact-tracing app overnight. In a tweet this morning, Harding said she was feeling well, and that there's "Nothing like personal experience of your own products." A screenshot posted to Twitter shows Harding with nine days remaining in her isolation period.

Protecting the NHS: NCSC fended off lots of meddling aimed at UK health orgs while ransomware ramped up
2020-11-03 12:28

Issuing the org's annual report today, NCSC chief exec Lindy Cameron, who formally replaced founding chief Ciaran Martin in the summer, said: "This review outlines the breadth of remarkable work delivered by the NCSC in the past year, largely against a backdrop of the shared global crisis of coronavirus." "We've added a significant amount of support to healthcare," added NCSC ops director Paul Chichester, referring to a number of incidents, some higher profile than others, during the year.

UK privacy watchdog confirms probe into NHS England COVID-19 app after complaints of spammy emails, texts
2020-10-01 09:05

Britain's Information Commissioner's Office has confirmed it is investigating grumbles about heavy-handed marketing emails and texts promoting the NHS COVID-19 contact-tracing app in England. Between 26 and 27 September, NHS Test and Trace messaged anyone resident in the country who was over the age of 16 and had previously provided their contact details to a GP. Those contacted had not specifically opted in to receive marketing communications regarding the NHS COVID-19 app.