BlackCat gang suspected of hacking NHS trust with 2.5 million patients

Officials are investigating a potential cyber attack by a Russian sponsored hacking group on Barts Health NHS Trust, which serves approximately 2.5 million patients.

The ransomware gang known as BlackCat claims to have stolen sensitive data from the trust and threatens to publish it unless a ransom is paid by Monday.

The stolen data includes personal information of employees, such as CVs, as well as financial details and "citizens' confidential documents," raising concerns about potential release of private patient data on the dark web.

The National Cyber Security Centre is also involved in the investigation, while experts speculate that the gang may be seeking a rapid payout without encrypting the information.

This incident follows another cyberattack on the University of Manchester that reportedly compromised details of over a million NHS patients, including major trauma records.