NHS ‘could have prevented’ WannaCry ransomware attack

British National Health Service (NHS) trusts left themselves open to ransomware attacks by failing to follow cybersecurity recommendations, according to a report by the National Audit Office. The May incident, caused by the WannaCry ransomware, resulted in the cancellation of over 6,900 NHS appointments and disrupted more than a third of trusts. The report claimed NHS trusts ignored alerts from NHS Digital and failed to replace older software after a 2014 warning from the Department of Health.