Barry Andrews MEP (Fianna Fáil, Renew Europe) welcomes the publication of the PwC report into the HSE ransomware attack that led to a shutdown of the national health services IT equipment in May of this year. As a member of the Special Committee on Foreign Interference in European Democracy including Disinformation in the European Parliament (INGE), MEP Andrews noted that ‘this type of cyberattack is only going to become more and more prevalent as our critical services and infrastructure rely on technology. Therefore, it is vital that we continue to increase investment in cybersecurity and raise awareness about the threats that these attacks pose.’
Separately, MEP Andrews called for more transparency in relation to the publication of more information regarding the May 18th attack. While visiting the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA) in Greece earlier this year as part of an official European Parliament delegation, MEP Andrews was promised a copy of the ENISA report into the HSE ransomware attack. MEP Andrews noted ‘Despite several requests by my office to Minister Ossian Smyth, the release of this report has been blocked. I was promised a copy of this report and it has not been forthcoming’. ‘The government has a duty to share any and all details of the HSE ransomware attack. Once we have all the details, this will allow other aspects of society to better understand the risks and to make the necessary changes.’
