HSE confirms data of nearly 520 patients is online after cyberattack

The HSE's Data Protection Office has said it has informed the Data Protection Commission of the breach as well as notifying the impacted health service providers.  File picture. 

The Health Service Executive (HSE) has confirmed the data of nearly 520 patients is online after media reports of their publication. 

In a statement, the HSE said the data contains correspondence with patients, minutes of meetings and includes sensitive patient data. 

The HSE also confirmed corporate documents are among the HSE data illegally accessed. 

Confirmation of the authenticity of this data follows an analysis carried out by the agency and comments from the Minister for Communications, Eamon Ryan, that reports of patient data being shared online are "very credible". 

The Minister had commented after the Financial Times reported the patient data was visible online including screenshots and files. 

The HSE said it informed the Financial Times of a court order it had obtained in relation to the illegally accessed patient data. 

The HSE said the Financial Times provided the data to them after the agency asked them to do so.  

Patients affected are now being contacted by the HSE which has apologised for any inconvenience caused to patients and service users. 

Further analysis is necessary as part of this process, the HSE has said.

The HSE's Data Protection Office has said it has informed the Data Protection Commission of the breach as well as notifying the impacted health service providers. 

A criminal investigation is underway into the breach and the HSE has said it is working with An Garda Síochána. 

The HSE said it is not aware of any further publication of data and that already illegally accessed online is part of the initial tranche that was previously reported on. 

Earlier this month, Hackers, believed to be from Russia, targeted the HSE with ransomware, causing a complete shutdown of their systems.

There was also a thwarted attack on the Department of Health's website on Thursday when The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) was contacted by department staff.

Services disrupted

Widespread and significant disruption followed the attack and outpatients appointments are running at just 50% of their normal levels due to the impact of the HSE data hack, health officials have confirmed.

The HSE's chief operations officer, Anne O'Connor, said up to 14,000 people would typically attend outpatient appointments daily, but at present they can only treat about half that number.

She also confirmed that just 14,000 of the 80,000 staff devices have so far been cleaned of the virus and while 28 of the country's hospital laboratories now have limited services, a further 16 are still out.