The Russian crime gang who have crippled the HSE in a cyber attack are also holding the Department of Health to ransom, it has emerged. Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney tonight said a “war room” has been set up as the Government and health service chiefs fight to safely restore their systems without having to pay the web crooks. The Conti ransomware operation is believed to be run by an Eastern European cybercrime group known as Wizard Spider. It is thought the group launched the attack on the Department of Health last Thursday. It forced the Department to shut down its systems — with officials tonight still ... (full story)