The Qilin ransomware group, responsible for the recent attack on NHS, resulting in the cancellation of nearly 1200 operations and crucial blood tests, has urged against blaming them for the hardships faced by Britain’s healthcare system.
Instead, they pointed fingers at the nation and its government, alleging support for adversaries in the global arena. This rhetoric prompts readers to question whom the group is implicating.
Security analysts interpret these statements as a tactic to divert attention from the real impact on the National Health Service, where over 200 cancer surgeries alone were postponed due to the IT disruption.
NHS England has warned that the effects of the Synnovis downtime may persist until September or beyond.
Meanwhile, an unverified source on Telegram claimed NHS was considering a $45 million ransom payment to the hackers, citing recovery costs exceeding their annual budget.
In a conversation with a BBC journalist via encrypted chat, the hackers defended their actions as a political statement, leaving the world speculating on their ties to Russia or Ukraine.
Regardless of the perpetrators, the primary victims remain the innocent patients already burdened by healthcare challenges, compounded by treatment cancellations and suspended pathology services, including vital blood-borne disease tests like HIV, Hepatitis C, and Hepatitis B.
Over the past days, individuals allegedly affiliated with Qilin have reportedly leaked a fraction of the 405GB of stolen data, warning of escalating consequences in the coming weeks.
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