Tonga Ministry of Health hit with cyberattack affecting website, IT systems

Tonga’s prime well being official warned the island nation’s residents {that a} ransomware assault has taken down its Nationwide Well being Info System.

The Ministry of Well being revealed statements on Wednesday explaining that it’s coping with a cyberattack on its IT techniques affecting the group’s web site and different instruments.

Minister of Well being Ana ‘Akau’ola then advised parliament on Thursday that an unnamed ransomware gang attacked the Nationwide Well being Info System, demanding thousands and thousands in ransom to revive the system. 

‘Akau’ola stated she realized of the incident earlier within the week and defined that cybersecurity specialists from Australia arrived on Thursday to assist the federal government resolve the problem. 

‘Akau’ola held one other press convention on Friday the place she stated the assault was found on June 15.

“This technique is used to file and register sufferers on the hospital. It comprises the historical past of all our sufferers, together with their medical information, prescriptions, well being dangers and future plans for sufferers,” she advised reporters, in line with native information outlet Matangi Tonga.

“This occurred on Sunday, I used to be knowledgeable from the hospital that the system was not functioning. Every part we do on the hospital, together with ordering capsules are all carried out on this system.”

‘Akau’ola added that officers initially reached out to their IT contractor based mostly in Fiji who confirmed that it was a ransomware assault. The Nationwide Well being Info System was launched in 2019 as a part of an effort to digitize authorities information. 

In its public assertion, the Ministry of Well being advised individuals to carry playing cards that listing out their prescriptions as a result of docs do not need entry to medical information. Tonga has 4 hospitals: Vaiola Hospital, Prince Wellington Ngu Hospital, Niu’ui Hospital and Niu’eki Hospital.

As of Friday afternoon, the Ministry of Well being web site remains to be down. The Polynesian nation is made up of some 171 islands and has a inhabitants of about 100,000.

No hacking group has taken credit score for the assault. In 2023, Tonga’s state-owned telecommunications firm was taken down by the Medusa ransomware gang — a bunch liable for greater than 300 assaults in crucial infrastructure sectors. 

Three months in the past, the Ministry of Well being for an additional Pacific island nation, Palau, was additionally taken down by a ransomware assault.

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