Firm involved in constructing Harrogate's Nightingale Hospital hit by coronavirus-linked cyberattack

Construction firm BAM Construct UK confirmed it has been the subject of the attack, but said the incident had had no operational effect on the Nightingale hospital or any other of its construction schemes.

Outsourcing giant Interserve, which recently supported the NHS in building Birmingham’s Nightingale Hospital, confirmed it had also been the target of an attack earlier this month.

The incidents come after a joint advisory from the cybersecurity agencies in the UK and US warning that organisations linked to the response to Covid-19 were being targeted by cybercriminals.

Join our new coronavirus Facebook group for the latest confirmed news and advice as soon as we get it

Last week, the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) said they believe criminals were targeting such organisations in the hope of gathering sensitive information related to the coronavirus outbreak.

In a statement, BAM Construct UK said: “We have stood up extremely well to a significant cyber-attack on our business, which forms part of the wave of attacks on public and private organisations supporting the national effort on Covid-19.

“Supplier and employee payments are being made and so it is, for our clients, subcontractors and our teams, pretty much business as usual.

“Our IT teams have closed access to a number of systems, including our website, as a precaution and we have alternative arrangements in place when necessary to ensure business continuity.

“Our own precautions have had more of an effect on our normal working procedures than the virus itself, but it is important for us to be absolutely confident that restoring all systems – at a time when we are working from home in unprecedented numbers – is done carefully.

“We have reported the attack to the authorities and, as everyone would after such an event, are taking the opportunity to learn from it to make any necessary changes to our systems for the future.”

Earlier today Interserve confirmed its own cyberattack, confirming some of its services could be impacted as a result.

“Interserve is working closely with the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and Strategic Incident Response teams to investigate, contain and remedy the situation.

“This will take some time and some operational services may be affected,” the firm said.

“Interserve has informed the Information Commissioner (ICO) of the incident.

“We will provide further updates when appropriate.

“Interserve’s employees, former employees, clients and suppliers are requested to exercise heightened vigilance during this time.”

The ICO confirmed it was aware of the incident and that it would “assess the information provided”.

Responding to the initial attack on Interserve, an NCSC spokesperson said: “We are aware of an incident affecting Interserve Group Limited and are working closely with the company to understand its impact and advise on mitigation.”

The NCSC has not yet commented on the second incident.

-------------------------

Editor’s note: First and foremost - and rarely have I written down these words with more sincerity - I hope this finds you well.

Almost certainly you are here because you value the quality and the integrity of the journalism produced by The Yorkshire Post’s journalists - almost all of which live alongside you in Yorkshire, spending the wages they earn with Yorkshire businesses - who last year took this title to the industry watchdog’s Most Trusted Newspaper in Britain accolade.

And that is why I must make an urgent request of you: as advertising revenue declines, your support becomes evermore crucial to the maintenance of the journalistic standards expected of The Yorkshire Post. If you can, safely, please buy a paper or take up a subscription. We want to continue to make you proud of Yorkshire’s National Newspaper but we are going to need your help.

Postal subscription copies can be ordered by calling 0330 4030066 or by emailing [email protected]. Vouchers, to be exchanged at retail sales outlets - our newsagents need you, too - can be subscribed to by contacting subscriptions on 0330 1235950 or by visiting www.localsubsplus.co.uk where you should select The Yorkshire Post from the list of titles available.

If you want to help right now, download our tablet app from the App / Play Stores. Every contribution you make helps to provide this county with the best regional journalism in the country.

Sincerely. Thank you.

James Mitchinson

Editor