‘Security event’ on HSC network
A SERIOUS security incident meant parts of Health & Social Care’s IT system were taken offline on Monday, delaying the release of Covid-19 test results.
The States, which has declined to confirm the exact nature of the incident which is understood to have been a malicious cyber attack, said it resolved the issue within the day with any risk to islanders’ data mitigated.
It began at about 3pm on Monday.
‘Our systems identified a potential security event within the Health & Social Care IT infrastructure,’ the spokesperson said.
‘As a precautionary measure working with Agilisys, our IT partners and HSC senior staff we isolated elements of the HSC network to allow for further investigation and analysis to take place in a safe environment.
‘The security event was dealt with and systems were brought back online from around 6.30pm with all HSC systems fully operational at around 9.15pm.’
The issue meant that staff could not access the data to text or call results to those who had been tested.
Islanders had been told on a number of social media channels about the ‘issue with internet access at HSC’ and advised them it would not be possible to let them know their Covid-19 test results until later that day or the next, depending on when the matter was resolved, as a consequence.
Following the incident’s resolution on the same day, individuals who were awaiting results were informed of their results in the normal way – by text or phone call.
The States spokesperson added that they understood the serious nature of the incident and reassured islanders that their data had been protected.
‘Whilst any interruption to a service is regretted, the quick reaction combined with new technology deployed and manner this was dealt with resulted in only a limited disruption to service users and prevented any risk to islanders’ data across the HSC environment.’
The incident happened just a day previous to the Covid-19 teams’ busiest day on Tuesday [13/10], with 250 people scheduled for tests, including travel tests for those who needed them ahead of hospital appointment, and symptomatic people.
Testing capacity is currently 400 per day, but when the new testing equipment which is due at the end of the month comes online, the capacity will be increased to in excess of 2,000 per day and will be based over two sites rather than one.
