Waikato DHB cyberattack: documents appear to have been posted online

By RNZ

Waikato District Health Board documents appear to have been posted to the dark web after the ransomware attack that crippled the computer systems of five hospitals in May.

RNZ was shown screenshots of what appears to be a link to a directory of sensitive information.

The list of documents suggests that it includes patient and staff data.

It’s been six weeks since a ransomware attack crippled its systems and forced a massive overhaul of its operations.

The ransomware attack crippled hospitals and DHB departments, and staff had to resort to manual workarounds to continue treating patients.

Some people requiring specialized treatment have had to travel to other DHBs.

Computer security expert Daniel Ayers told Midday Report he looked at the structure of the file – without looking at personal information – and confirmed it was from DHB.

He said the documents included correspondence, medical records and financial data.

“I note that some of the material in this leak matches some of the information that was previously leaked to the media.”

He said it could be an act of retaliation for the non-payment of the ransom.

“There is a substantial amount of information here and the fact that it is being made public is obviously concerning.”