London hospitals in disarray as cyberattack cripples testing services

A ransomware attack targeted Synnovis, a private firm that provides critical services to hospitals across six London boroughs, disrupting blood tests and several other procedures. The attack locked Synnovis’s IT system, impeding access to essential blood test results. This incident affected several hospitals, and forced cancellations or rescheduling of elective surgeries and non-urgent blood tests, impacting potentially thousands of patients. The situation could take weeks or even months to resolve, as the NHS and law enforcement investigate, aided by the National Crime Agency and the Information Commissioner’s Office.