LulzSec exposes NHS security gaps

Infamous hack collective LulzSec has warned the NHS that its computer network is vulnerable to cyber attack.

Lulz Security, which claims to have been behind recent PSN hacks, sent an email to NHS administrators exposing breaches the service’s network, the BBC reports.

Playfully dubbing themselves ‘pirate-ninjas’, the groups published the email on Twitter.

While you aren’t considered an enemy – your work is of course brilliant – we did stumble upon several of your admin passwords,” LulzSec wrote in the email.

We mean you no harm and only want to help you fix your tech issues.”

It details the stolen information, but blacks out the names.

The Department of Health has been quick to play down the issue.

This is a local issue affecting a very small number of website administrators. No patient information has been compromised,” a Department of Health spokesperson told the BBC.

No national NHS information systems have been affected. The Department has issued guidance to the local NHS about how to protect and secure all their information assets.”

The hack group’s actions follow a spate of cyber breaches which have not been committed with selfless intentions.

Only today, Codemasters revealed its website was hacked. On Monday, Nintendo confirmed its servers had been breach, though no data was stolen. And Sony have been facing a number of cyber attacks, with breaches to their PlayStation Network, SOE and Sony Pictures servers.