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The cyber criminals responsible for causing major disruption at London hospitals say they are \u201csorry for all the harm caused\u201d but are \u201cnot to blame\u201d.<\/b><\/p>\n
The ransomware gang spoke to the BBC on encrypted chat service qTox attempting to justify the attack as a form of political protest.<\/p>\n
Qilin, which has a well established record of attempting to extort money, claims in this instance it carried out a cyber attack as revenge for the UK government\u2019s actions in an undisclosed war.<\/p>\n
Experts are sceptical, however, with Jen Ellis, from the organisation Ransomware Task Force, telling the BBC that “cyber criminals like this gang lie routinely.”<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere they are from and why they have carried out the attack is secondary to the harm being caused right now by patients and hospital staff,\u201d she added.<\/p>\n
The hack has led to more than a thousand operations and appointments being postponed and a critical incident being declared.<\/p>\n
\u201cYes we know about the situation,\u201d the hackers said, speaking in broken English.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are very sorry for the people who were suffered because of it. Herewith we don\u2019t consider ourselves guilty and we ask you don\u2019t blame us in this situation.\u201d<\/p>\n
The hackers said the UK government should be blamed as they were not helping in the unspecified war.<\/p>\n
The gang, which is thought to be based in Russia, like many ransomware crews, would not say where it was.<\/p>\n
It said the UK government \u201cdon\u2019t even put a penny on the lives of those who fight on the front edge of free world,\u201d which is reminiscent of language used to describe Ukraine\u2019s fight against Russia\u2019s invasion.<\/p>\n
But it might also refer to Russian troops fighting against Ukraine.<\/p>\n
The group says it chose to attack blood test firm Synnovis, which is used by two London NHS trusts, deliberately. <\/p>\n
\u201cOur citizens are dying in unequal combat from a lack of medicines and donor blood\u201d, it said.<\/p>\n
Researchers have previously said Qilin posted adverts for hackers to join its criminal service in Russian. <\/p>\n
It would be unusual but not unprecedented for Qilin hackers to be in Ukraine, which has seen many alleged ransomware hackers arrested in recent months. <\/p>\n
It’s very rare for hackers to be arrested in Russia as the government there refuses to cooperate with western law enforcement requests. <\/p>\n
Qilin refused to be more specific about its political allegiance or geography “for security reasons”.<\/p>\n
This is the first time that the crew has claimed to have a political motive for its hacks – Qilin has been tracked since 2022 in which time it has carried out criminal hacks against schools, hospitals, companies, councils and health care organisations.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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