A screenshot shared online by people claiming to have been affected by the attack
A large-scale cyber-attack on the NHS today has hit GP surgeries and hospitals across England and Scotland. The ransomware campaign has encrypted patient data, meaning staff can't access it until a ransom is paid in Bitcoin, with a message threatening that all of the information will be deleted if the money isn't paid.NHS Digital said: "A number of NHS organisations have reported to NHS Digital that they have been affected by a ransomware attack which is affecting a number of different organisations. The investigation is at an early stage but we believe the malware variant is Wanna Decryptor. At this stage we do not have any evidence that patient data has been accessed. We will continue to work with affected organisations to confirm this."NHS Digital also the attack "was not specifically targeted at the NHS and is affecting organisations from across a range of sectors". According to reports, organisations around the world have been hit by the same ransomware attack.Affected hospitals – a list of which you can find here – have asked that patients don't come in unless it's an emergency, and a number have cancelled routine appointments and diverted ambulances to nearby hospitals.