Health bosses have warned that a catastrophic cyberattack now poses a bigger threat to the NHS than another pandemic. The risk has grown dramatically in the past few weeks alone, according to a new risk assessment published by NHS England. The assessment shows that the organisation has increased its recorded risk level for cyber security to the highest possible grading of 25 out of 25.
A catastrophic cyberattack now poses a bigger threat to the NHS than another pandemic, health bosses have warned. The risk has grown dramatically in the past few weeks alone, according to a new risk assessment published by NHS England.
The assessment shows that the organisation has increased its recorded risk level for cyber security to the highest possible grading of 25 out of 25. The risk is unlikely to abate for at least four years, with the impact considered the biggest single threat to the NHS. Mark Bailie, chair of the NHS England technology committee, described the NHS's sprawling and patchily-updated information systems as a direct patient safety issue.
Patient data from UK Biobank, a government-supported research database, had been offered for sale on Chinese auction sites. NHS suppliers are particularly vulnerable, with an attack on pathology provider Synnovis in 2024 leading to blood test delays and a consequent patient death. NHS England is planning to send a message to local leaders to set out several basic things all organisations must do to reduce risk.
The boss added that the NHS is a very connected system and everyone needs to do what they need to do and stay agile to that as things develop. One cyber security expert said that increased interoperability between systems and more use of AI had left the NHS more vulnerable. This includes new AI tools that can potentially identify and weaponise vulnerabilities in IT systems and apps.
Some NHS open source coding, for the likes of the NHS App, have been temporarily taken down from the internet because of the Mythos threat. NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care are prioritising funding bids for cyber security improvements and ambient voice technology, which can listen to conversations and create automated transcripts for doctors.
A major cyber security exercise is planned for next month, and NHS England is working on a comprehensive list of potentially vulnerable organisational assets. The 'insider threat monitoring' is likely in response to official and unofficial use of AI in the NHS, as well as third-party contractors.
Cyber security consultant Saif Abed said that the recognition of this ongoing risk exemplifies the accelerating public health and national security threats facing the NHS stemming from both technology and a complex, ungoverned supply chain. He added that the scale and clinical impact of cyber attacks will only grow with increasing interoperability and AI adoption across the NHS
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