Last week, a key NHS IT partner suffered from a ransomware attack that could take up to a month to recover from. The company, Advanced, operates several key systems for the health service. This includes clinical patient management and financial software. One of Advanced’s key healthcare clients is NHS 111, which is a phone and online-based service that offers medical advice for urgent problems. The ransomware attack hit the MSP in early August, and the UK government tried to downplay the seriousness of the attack. The government originally stated that the attack caused minimal disruption, however, reports concluded that instead it disrupted patient referrals, appointment bookings, emergency prescriptions, and even ambulance dispatches.

Advanced posted an update addressing the attack on August 10, confirming that it was working with several groups to investigate and remediate the cyberattack, including Mandiant, Microsoft DART, and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). It also confirmed that the original breach has been contained, but it may take weeks to get back to normal.

Read More: Recovery From NHS Ransomware Attack May Take a Month