Thread by @newschambers

No cybersecurity lead at the HSE is described as "highly unusual" for an organisation of the HSE's size and nature.

The HSE is subject to about 50 attempted breaches on average per week.

Since the #HSEcyberattack - there have been 'at least ten' attempts that could have caused serious issues.

The HSE admits that in the eight weeks the attackers had access to its systems, a number of hospitals reported malicious activity.

The significance of this... was missed.

We all know what happened next.

One of the most notable elements is that this could have all been a lot worse.

The software and technique used by the attackers was "well known".

Also, if the attackers hadn't posted the decryption key... "it is unknown whether systems could have been recovered fully"...

The HSE says it will respond in full to the findings of the report and is beginning the process of change.

But PWC notes the HSE is still vulnerable to cyberattack of a similar nature - or *worse*.

Given the impact of it on healthcare, health staff - that's unthinkable.

How did it all start?

One staff member back in March clicking on the link of a malicious Microsoft Excel file in a phishing email.

One click, and the entire health service was knocked back decades in the middle of a pandemic.