The former chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) on Wednesday (June 5) said that a group of Russian cybercriminals is behind the ransomware attack that halted operations and tests in the major state-run National Health Service (NHS) in London.&nbsp;

The delivery of services at some of London's busiest hospitals was impacted significantly on Tuesday by a ransomware incident, the region's health service said. In a statement, a spokesperson for the NHS England London region said that Synnovis, a provider of lab services, was the victim of the incident on Monday.&nbsp;

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"This is having a significant impact on the delivery of services at Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts and primary care services in south east London," the statement added.&nbsp;

The health services earlier said that it was working "urgently" with the NCSC and its own cyber operations team to fully understand the impact of the incident. NCSC is the country's main cyber security agency.&nbsp;

Meanwhile, Ciaran Martin, the former chief executive of NCSC, said that the attack on pathology services firm Synnovis had led to a "severe reduction in capacity". He added that it was a "very, very serious incident".&nbsp;

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During BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he was asked about the cyber attacks and whether or not he knew about them. He said, "Yes. We believe it is a Russian group of cybercriminals who call themselves Qilin."&nbsp;

"These criminal groups – there are quite a few of them – they operate freely from within Russia, they give themselves high-profile names, they've got websites on the so-called dark web, and this particular group has about a two-year history of attacking various organisations across the world. They've done automotive companies, they've attacked the Big Issue here in the UK, they've attacked Australian courts. They're simply looking for money."&nbsp;

Watch:&nbsp;Britain's Sunak and Starmer go head-to-head about the economy on a TV debate&nbsp;

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During the show, he explained that there are two types of ransomware attacks. One is when the attackers steal a load of data with the objective of extorting money. But he said that the case with NHS was different as it's a "more serious" type of ransomware where the system just doesn't work.&nbsp;

"So, if you're working in healthcare in this trust, you're just not getting those results so it's actually seriously disruptive," he said, further adding that the government had a policy of not paying but the company would be free to pay the ransom if it chose to.&nbsp;

"The criminals are threatening to publish data, but they always do that. Here, the priority is the restoration of services," he added.&nbsp;

(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;

The former chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) on Wednesday (June 5) said that a group of Russian cybercriminals is behind the ransomware attack that halted operations and tests in the major state-run National Health Service (NHS) in London.

The former chief executive of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) on Wednesday (June 5) said that a group of Russian cybercriminals is behind the ransomware attack that halted operations and tests in the major state-run National Health Service (NHS) in London. The delivery of services at some of London's busiest hospitals was impacted significantly on Tuesday by a ransomware incident, the region's health service said. In a statement, a spokesperson for the NHS England London region said that Synnovis, a provider of lab services, was the victim of the incident on Monday. Also read: Australia drops court action against Musk’s X over Sydney church stabbing posts "This is having a significant impact on the delivery of services at Guy's and St Thomas', King's College Hospital NHS Foundation Trusts and primary care services in south east London," the statement added. The health services earlier said that it was working "urgently" with the NCSC and its own cyber operations team to fully understand the impact of the incident. NCSC is the country's main cyber security agency. Meanwhile, Ciaran Martin, the former chief executive of NCSC, said that the attack on pathology services firm Synnovis had led to a "severe reduction in capacity". He added that it was a "very, very serious incident". Also read: United Airlines to hire fewer employees due to Boeing aircraft delivery delays During BBC Radio 4's Today programme, he was asked about the cyber attacks and whether or not he knew about them. He said, "Yes. We believe it is a Russian group of cybercriminals who call themselves Qilin." "These criminal groups – there are quite a few of them – they operate freely from within Russia, they give themselves high-profile names, they've got websites on the so-called dark web, and this particular group has about a two-year history of attacking various organisations across the world. They've done automotive companies, they've attacked the Big Issue here in the UK, they've attacked Australian courts. They're simply looking for money." Watch: Britain's Sunak and Starmer go head-to-head about the economy on a TV debate × During the show, he explained that there are two types of ransomware attacks. One is when the attackers steal a load of data with the objective of extorting money. But he said that the case with NHS was different as it's a "more serious" type of ransomware where the system just doesn't work. "So, if you're working in healthcare in this trust, you're just not getting those results so it's actually seriously disruptive," he said, further adding that the government had a policy of not paying but the company would be free to pay the ransom if it chose to. "The criminals are threatening to publish data, but they always do that. Here, the priority is the restoration of services," he added. (With inputs from agencies)

Russian group behind ‘very serious’ ransomware attack that impacted London hospital services

The United Kingdom's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said on Tuesday (Nov 14) that artificial intelligence (AI) posed a threat to the upcoming national election.

The United Kingdom's National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) said on Tuesday (Nov 14) that artificial intelligence (AI) posed a threat to the upcoming national election. In its annual review, the NCSC said that this year saw the emergence of state-aligned actors as a new cyber threat to critical national infrastructure such as power, water and internet networks. "We live in a dangerous, volatile world. The events of the last year have demonstrated the extent to which geopolitical crises and technological change impact us all, threatening not just our traditional security but our economic security," the report said. The year 2022 saw the emergence of a new class of cyber adversaries in the form of state-aligned actors, who are often sympathetic to Russia’s further invasion of Ukraine and are ideologically, rather than financially, motivated. 'Russian actors sought to interfere in 2019 poll' "The UK government assesses that it is almost certain that Russian actors sought to interfere in the 2019 general election," NCSC said, and with the upcoming elections in the UK and the United States, "we can expect to see the integrity of our systems tested again." The centre also said that the UK and its allies could not be complacent to the threat of foreign cyber interference and attempts at influencing the democratic process. In the UK, the next general election will take place before the end of January 2025. Local and mayoral elections are scheduled in May 2024. The NCSC said that when the election happens, the process of casting a vote is completed using pencil and paper, significantly reducing the chances of a cyber actor affecting the integrity of the results. "However, the act of voting marks the end of the sprint, as a significant amount of cyber-resilience building needs to take place before this to secure the services which support our elections and the integrity of an open public discourse," it added. The government has established the Joint Election Security Preparedness Unit (JESP), which takes overall responsibility for coordinating electoral security and drives the government’s election preparedness. Threat posed by AI According to the NCSC, technologies like AI might pose from those looking to interfere or otherwise undermine trust in the UK's democratic system. It said the next election would be the first to take place against the backdrop of significant advances in AI. However, rather than presenting new risks, AI's ability to enable existing techniques posed the biggest threat. The centre gave an example- "large language models will almost certainly be used to generate fabricated content, AI-created hyperrealistic bots will make the spread of disinformation easier and the manipulation of media for use in deepfake campaigns will likely become more advanced." The NCSC also said that even though the government was committed to countering the threat from online harms, it was important for people "to be aware that the threat landscape is changing and as with any kind of new technology, alongside realising the benefits, there is always potential for misuse."

UK: Cyber security body NCSC says AI poses threat to upcoming national election

Britain's ambassador to Washington believed US President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal because it was associated with his predecessor Barack Obama, according to leaked documents published Saturday.

"The administration is set upon an act of diplomatic vandalism, seemingly for ideological and personality reasons -- it was Obama's deal," ambassador <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/kim-darroch-british-ambassador-to-us-who-called-trump-inept-resigns-234649">Kim Darroch wrote in a diplomatic cable</a> in May 2018.

The cable was included in the second batch of leaked reports published by the Mail on Sunday newspaper, the first of which caused Darroch to resign earlier this week.

Separately, the Sunday Times reported that a government investigation into the leak had identified a civil servant as the person responsible.

Working with officials from the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-police-launch-criminal-probe-into-ambassadors-memo-leaks-on-donald-trump-235404">National Cyber Security Centre</a>, part of spy agency GCHQ, and MI6, the probe has homed in on a suspect who had access to historical Foreign Office files, the paper said.

The first leaked reports authored by Darroch were published last weekend, causing major turmoil between Britain and its closest ally.

The ambassador was reported to have described the White House as "inept", prompting Trump to claim the ambassador was a "<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/very-stupid-guy-donald-trump-renews-attack-on-uk-ambassador-theresa-may-234370">pompous fool</a>" whom he would no longer deal with.

Darroch resigned on Wednesday, saying it was now "impossible" to do his job.

Watch:&nbsp;UK ambassador to US resigns in Trump leaks row

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'Day-after' strategy

In May 2018, Britain's then-foreign minister Boris Johnson went to Washington to try to persuade Trump not to abandon the Iran deal.

In a cable sent afterwards, Darroch reportedly indicated there were divisions in Trump's team over the decision, and criticised the White House for a lack of long-term strategy.

"They can't articulate any 'day-after' strategy; and contacts with State Department this morning suggest no sort of plan for reaching out to partners and allies, whether in Europe or the region," he wrote.

He reported back that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, during his talks with Johnson, "did some subtle distancing by talking throughout about 'the President's decision'".

The newspaper reported that, according to Darroch, Pompeo also hinted that he had tried but failed to "sell" a revised text to Trump.

In 2015, the United States, China, Britain, France, Russia and Germany signed a deal with Iran to limit its nuclear programme in exchange for a partial lifting of international economic sanctions.

Trump had long been critical of the deal and withdrew the United States on May 8, 2018.

As well as a government investigation into the leaks, police are also looking into a potential breach of the Official Secrets Act.

London's Metropolitan Police sparked widespread condemnation on Saturday after a warning to journalists that publishing leaked documents could be a criminal matter.

Johnson, who is now in the race to succeed May as prime minister, said that prosecuting media outlets would have a "chilling effect on public debate".

Britain's ambassador to Washington believed US President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal because it was associated with his predecessor Barack Obama, according to leaked documents published Saturday.

Britain's ambassador to Washington believed US President Donald Trump pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal because it was associated with his predecessor Barack Obama, according to leaked documents published Saturday. "The administration is set upon an act of diplomatic vandalism, seemingly for ideological and personality reasons -- it was Obama's deal," ambassador Kim Darroch wrote in a diplomatic cable in May 2018. The cable was included in the second batch of leaked reports published by the Mail on Sunday newspaper, the first of which caused Darroch to resign earlier this week. Separately, the Sunday Times reported that a government investigation into the leak had identified a civil servant as the person responsible. Working with officials from the National Cyber Security Centre, part of spy agency GCHQ, and MI6, the probe has homed in on a suspect who had access to historical Foreign Office files, the paper said. The first leaked reports authored by Darroch were published last weekend, causing major turmoil between Britain and its closest ally. The ambassador was reported to have described the White House as "inept", prompting Trump to claim the ambassador was a "pompous fool" whom he would no longer deal with. Darroch resigned on Wednesday, saying it was now "impossible" to do his job. Watch: UK ambassador to US resigns in Trump leaks row × 'Day-after' strategy In May 2018, Britain's then-foreign minister Boris Johnson went to Washington to try to persuade Trump not to abandon the Iran deal. In a cable sent afterwards, Darroch reportedly indicated there were divisions in Trump's team over the decision, and criticised the White House for a lack of long-term strategy. "They can't articulate any 'day-after' strategy; and contacts with State Department this morning suggest no sort of plan for reaching out to partners and allies, whether in Europe or the region," he wrote. He reported back that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, during his talks with Johnson, "did some subtle distancing by talking throughout about 'the President's decision'". The newspaper reported that, according to Darroch, Pompeo also hinted that he had tried but failed to "sell" a revised text to Trump. In 2015, the United States, China, Britain, France, Russia and Germany signed a deal with Iran to limit its nuclear programme in exchange for a partial lifting of international economic sanctions. Trump had long been critical of the deal and withdrew the United States on May 8, 2018. As well as a government investigation into the leaks, police are also looking into a potential breach of the Official Secrets Act. London's Metropolitan Police sparked widespread condemnation on Saturday after a warning to journalists that publishing leaked documents could be a criminal matter. Johnson, who is now in the race to succeed May as prime minister, said that prosecuting media outlets would have a "chilling effect on public debate".

Donald Trump ditched Iran deal to spite Obama, new memo leak claims

Apple Inc's top security officer told Congress on Sunday that it had found no sign of suspicious transmissions or other evidence that it had been penetrated in a sophisticated attack on its supply chain.

Apple Vice President for Information Security George Stathakopoulos wrote in a letter to the Senate and House commerce committees that the company had repeatedly investigated and found no evidence for the main points in a Bloomberg Businessweek article published on Thursday, including that chips inside servers sold to Apple by Super Micro Computer Inc allowed for backdoor transmissions to China.

"Apple’s proprietary security tools are continuously scanning for precisely this kind of outbound traffic, as it indicates the existence of malware or other malicious activity. Nothing was ever found," he wrote in the letter provided to Reuters.

Stathakopoulos repeated Apple's statements to the press that it never found malicious chips or vulnerabilities purposely planted in any server or been contacted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about such concerns. He said he would be available to brief Congressional staff on the issue this week.

The letter follows statements on Friday by Britain's National Cyber Security Centre and on Saturday by the US&nbsp;Department of Homeland Security that those agencies have no reason to doubt denials from Apple and Amazon.com Inc that they had discovered backdoored chips.

Bloomberg said on Friday it stood by its story, which was based on 17 anonymous sources. Some allegations were based on fewer accounts or even a single unnamed source, Apple noted in its letter.

A Bloomberg spokeswoman did not immediately respond to questions sent on Sunday.

Apple Inc's top security officer told Congress on Sunday that it had found no sign of suspicious transmissions or other evidence that it had been penetrated in a sophisticated attack on its supply chain.

Apple Inc's top security officer told Congress on Sunday that it had found no sign of suspicious transmissions or other evidence that it had been penetrated in a sophisticated attack on its supply chain. Apple Vice President for Information Security George Stathakopoulos wrote in a letter to the Senate and House commerce committees that the company had repeatedly investigated and found no evidence for the main points in a Bloomberg Businessweek article published on Thursday, including that chips inside servers sold to Apple by Super Micro Computer Inc allowed for backdoor transmissions to China. "Apple’s proprietary security tools are continuously scanning for precisely this kind of outbound traffic, as it indicates the existence of malware or other malicious activity. Nothing was ever found," he wrote in the letter provided to Reuters. Stathakopoulos repeated Apple's statements to the press that it never found malicious chips or vulnerabilities purposely planted in any server or been contacted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) about such concerns. He said he would be available to brief Congressional staff on the issue this week. The letter follows statements on Friday by Britain's National Cyber Security Centre and on Saturday by the US Department of Homeland Security that those agencies have no reason to doubt denials from Apple and Amazon.com Inc that they had discovered backdoored chips. Bloomberg said on Friday it stood by its story, which was based on 17 anonymous sources. Some allegations were based on fewer accounts or even a single unnamed source, Apple noted in its letter. A Bloomberg spokeswoman did not immediately respond to questions sent on Sunday.

Apple tells Congress it found no signs of hacking attack