On Sunday the US Department of Health and Human Services confirmed that it was hit by a cyber attack, as experts warned that the countries healthcare systems may be particular vulnerable to attacks as it battles the coronavirus pandemic.

A spokesperson for the department said the federal government agency investigating the incident after they "became aware of a significant increase in activity on HHS cyber infrastructure", but it is still apparently "fully operational".

The attack was first reported by Bloomberg, which cited anonymous sources saying that the hacking involved multiple incidents and appeared to be designed to slow the departments systems, however they "did not do so in any meaningful way" according to the wire service.

Bloomberg also said that the attack was linked to a text based disinformation campaign that wrongly suggested that there would be a nationwide quarantine on Monday. Late last night the National Council tweeted "Test message rumors of a national #quarantine are FAKE. There is no national lockdown."

Cyber security experts have warned that hospitals hospitals and healthcare services in particular could be targeted by nation states or cyber criminals at a time when they are overwhelmed by the outbreak across the country. Hospitals have increasingly becoming the target of ransomeware attacks over the past years in which hackers disable a victims files or systems and will only release the decryption key once the ransom is payed.

As more and more cyber criminal groups are finding ways to weaponize the corona panic it is becoming even more important to have tight cyber security. If you are unsure of your safety when online call today at 01642 248 750 or message us on social@adnsgroup.com for a test of your cyber security and improvements to protect your sensitive data.