The Latest: Spain contacts 100 companies about cyberattack
LONDON (AP) — The Latest on reported cyberattack on Britain’s hospitals (all times local):
5:30 p.m.
Spain has activated a special protocol to protect critical infrastructure in response to the “massive infection” of personal and corporate computers targeted in ransomware cyberattacks.
The National Center for the Protection of Critical Infrastructure says Friday it was communicating with more than 100 providers of energy, transportation, telecommunications and financial services about the attack even if basic services had not suffered any disruption.
The Ministry of Energy, Tourism and Digital Agenda says the attack Friday affected the Windows operating system of employees’ computers in several companies. It said the attacks were carried out with a version of WannaCry ransomware that encrypted files and prompted a demand for money transfers to free up the system.
Spain’s Telefonica was among the companies hit.
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4:55 p.m.
The Spanish government says several companies have been targeted in ransomware cyberattacks.
The Industry Ministry says the attack affected the Windows operating system of employees’ computers, blocking files and demanding a ransom to free up the system.
It said the attacks had not affected the companies’ services or data protection of their clients.
Microsoft issued a security update on March 14 about vulnerabilities in the Windows system.
There were no details on which companies were targeted or the origin of the attack.
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4:20 p.m.
Britain’s National Health Service says hospitals across the country have been hit by a “ransomware” cyberattack but there is no evidence that patient data has been accessed.
NHS Digital, which oversees hospital cybersecurity, says the attack used the Wanna Decryptor variant of malware, which holds affected computers hostage while the attackers demand a ransom.
NHS Digital says the attack “was not specifically targeted at the NHS and is affecting organizations from across a range of sectors.”
The attack is causing canceled procedures and appointments at hospitals across England. NHS Digital says 16 NHS organizations report being hit.
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3:45 p.m.
Hospitals across England have canceled appointments and turned away patients after suffering an apparent cyberattack.
Hospitals in London, northwest England and other parts of the country reported problems with their computer systems Friday. They asked patients not to come to the hospitals unless it was an emergency.
Pictures posted on social media showed screens of NHS computers with images demanding payment of $300 worth of the online currency Bitcoin, saying: “Ooops, your files have been encrypted!”
NHS Merseyside, which operates several hospitals in northwest England, tweeted that “following a suspected national cyberattack, we are taking all precautionary measures possible to protect our local NHS systems and services.”
Bart’s Health, which runs several London hospitals, said it had activated its major incident plan, cancelling routine appointments and diverting ambulances to neighboring hospitals.
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