Nhs network security

woody2234

Could the NHS have a stand alone network and not connected to the Global Internet for all there computers but also a separate computer in each NHS building for staff to check things like BBC and other websites and also people have smartphones these days which they can connect to Global Internet if they need to

Neil_Jones

In theory, yes. But that costs money to have two networks like that.

I'm assuming this is in light of the news today of the cyber attack of Ransomware. Ransomware doesn't need actual internet access to do its deed, it just needs to get onto a computer and be run. From there it'll go off, do its encryption and spread across mapped network drives, which makes things worse if you like as it won't be able to generate a decryption key from the internet.

If that is the case and somebody brings it in (accidentally or otherwise) it'll have the exact same effect as an internet facing computer.

Browntoa

Exploit for this was closed by Windows updates 2 months ago , poor network management not to have patches up to date

esuhl

Browntoa wrote: »

Exploit for this was closed by Windows updates 2 months ago , poor network management not to have patches up to date

Aren't they still running XP?

From what I heard the ransomware is a new variant that was released today. It's main method of propagation is a worm deriving from an NSA hack that was recently leaked. This is what was patched in March.

woody2234

What about

1 Have a main NHS server based in say London and when NHS staff log in to a Terminal (computer) at say Newcastle NHS then its a stand alone system

2 Disable the USB ports and CD player on the Terminals so the staff
cannot connect there smartphones to it, I have worked for a Goverment department and they do this already

3 Ransomeware says pay $300 which is about £232 and Ive been on PC World today and theres a few laptops on there for about £200 and there windows 10 but how much would the NHS have to pay the wholesaler when the wholesaler finds out the tax payer is paying for the equipment

forgotmyname

Have you put a tender in to replace the NHS network?

The issue is that there are LOTS of devices at each hospital they all need to access the data. Disable USB ports but devices are connected via wireless. So theres a potential access point.

Intercept the data between the device and the network.

S0litaire

woody2234 wrote: »

What about

1 Have a main NHS server based in say London and when NHS staff log in to a Terminal (computer) at say Newcastle NHS then its a stand alone system

far far far too slow!! You ever seen the size of raw digital x-rays? no to mention MRI/ CT scans. Everything is needed locally! Also single point of failure is a HUGE no!No! in something as important as a hospital.it just takes an idiot road worker to put a jackhammer through the wrong cable and half the Hospitals in England have no access...

woody2234 wrote: »

2 Disable the USB ports and CD player on the Terminals so the staff
cannot connect there smartphones to it, I have worked for a Goverment department and they do this already

Most don't have CD players and usb's are disabled by device profiles

woody2234 wrote: »

3 Ransomeware says pay $300 which is about £232 and Ive been on PC World today and theres a few laptops on there for about £200 and there windows 10 but how much would the NHS have to pay the wholesaler when the wholesaler finds out the tax payer is paying for the equipment

That is if some of the specialist bespoke software / hardware some hospitals use can run in Win10 (A lot can't!!) their are still loads of working imagine devices that use CF-Cards to store image captures! If it's not broke why spend loads of cash trying to source a replacement!!

woody2234

I Will thank your "THANKS" bar Now for all your comments

S0litaire

also in the past 20 odd years their has been 2 (I think!?!? one at least!!) separate failed attempts to create a new IT system for the NHS.

It's a massive undertaking that would have taken 10-15 years to roll out fully! By which time the OS and equipment specs would be massively out of date and you would probably end up in the same sort of situation as we're in now! just a few billion £ poorer... lol

patman99

I used to work for Siemens and they thouroughly tested any updates to Windows prior to installing them to end user PCs.

This was done to make sure that there were no issues caused to any connected equipment by the updates.

I would guess that the NHS will have the same system in place. This means sometimes it might be upto 2 months before an official update ends-up on every PC in the organisation.

John_Gray

patman99 wrote: »

I used to work for Siemens and they thouroughly tested any updates to Windows prior to installing them to end user PCs.

This was done to make sure that there were no issues caused to any connected equipment by the updates.

I would guess that the NHS will have the same system in place. This means sometimes it might be up to 2 months before an official update ends-up on every PC in the organisation.

You are missing the point that most NHS (non-specialist) computers still run Windows XP - for which Microsoft provides no further patch support without an expensive support agreement.

Your comment about the time taken for bureaucratic organisations to apply patches in a timely manner remains valid!