Tag Archive for: delays

Ransomware attack delays SickKids lab results

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A ransomware attack has delayed lab and imaging results at Toronto’s Hospital for Sick Children and could lead to longer wait times, the hospital said Thursday, noting that some of its systems could be offline for weeks.

The hospital said it was unable to provide details about the nature of the attack, calling it an “active and ongoing incident.”

There is no evidence to date that personal information had been affected, the hospital said.

“While we can confirm this is a ransomware attack, SickKids has been preparing for attacks of this nature, and mobilized quickly to mitigate potential impacts to the continuity of care,” the hospital said in a written statement Thursday.

SickKids reported Monday night that a “cybersecurity incident” prompted the hospital to call a Code Grey — the hospital code for system failure — on Sunday at 9:30 p.m.

In its first update since then, the hospital said it would likely be a “matter of weeks” before all systems are working as normal.

“Clinical teams are currently experiencing delays with retrieving lab and imaging results, which may cause longer wait times for patients and families,” the hospital said.

The ransomware attack comes as Canada’s largest pediatric hospital has had to cancel some surgeries and redeploy staff in recent weeks to deal with a surge of sick kids with respiratory infections.

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Urgent and emergent care, as well as scheduled appointments and procedures, were expected to continue as it brought systems back online in the wake of the ransomware attack, the hospital said.

SickKids said the “fluid and evolving situation” was still under investigation.

Toronto police confirmed they were working with the hospital, the Ontario Provincial Police and the provincial government as part of the investigation.

Hackers in ransomware attacks use malware to encrypt a target’s information and hold it hostage until a ransom is paid.

Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest health authority, Eastern Health, said earlier this month that a ransomware attack…

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LTO bugged by delays in license processing

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THE delays in the processing of driver’s license applications and motor vehicle registrations continue in various Land Transportation Office (LTO) sites nationwide, including Metro Manila.

The Manila Times learned that LTO frontliners were forced to render additional working hours even on weekends to process the backlogs as a result of what has been described as the “worst slowdown” in the Land Transportation Management System (LTMS).

LTO-Davao South District Office chief Melencio Diaz Jr. said their employees volunteered to work without pay even on their days off just to catch up with a month’s worth of backlog.

Another LTO official who asked not to be identified said there were issues of slowdown in their system in the past but these were immediately resolved, unlike the current problem which has been going on for more than two weeks now.

The LTMS delay was first reported in the last days of August. Long queues, frustrated customers and “offline” advisories posted on transaction windows were some of the common scenes at LTO sites in the past weeks.

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Although an investigation into the “system slowdown” was initiated by the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) last week, LTO clients who shared their frustrations on social media blamed the agency’s system provider, Dermalog, for the problem.

Students and employees said that transacting at the LTO was a “hassle,” and they were forced to miss school or work due to the intermittent connection of the LTMS.

The LTMS is part of the digital shift program of the national government. In 2018, LTO awarded the said IT project, through a Joint Venture Agreement, to Dermalog and three other local companies.

The Commission on Audit (CoA) earlier flagged the LTO for the “undue payment” given to Dermalog despite…

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State: Computer hack delays DES checks in Arizona | Govt-and-politics

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PHOENIX — The checks are in the mail, finally.

That’s the message from the state Department of Administration this week to about 800 Arizonans who were counting on getting their child support, child care and unemployment checks by the first of the month.

The private company the state uses to print and mail correspondence, Exela Technologies, took its systems offline on June 19 after experiencing a cyberattack, said Megan Rose, the Administration Department spokeswoman.

Four state agencies were affected, including the Department of Economic Security. Not only did checks not go out, but people did not get forms they were supposed to fill out, often with deadlines such as for continuing benefits.

The company resumed its Phoenix operations and is working to clear backlogs.

The checks were printed Sunday and were sent out “first thing Tuesday” when the Postal Service reopened after the holiday, Rose said.

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She also said the state will ensure anyone who missed a deadline to send a form to DES will not be penalized and the dates for responding will be adjusted.

Also affected was the Revenue Department, whose print jobs with Exela include about 20,000 refund checks. Rose said these, too, will be mailed this week.

Anyone who did not get a timely notice from Revenue of an assessment will get additional time to respond, without penalty, she said.

Correspondence from some other agencies was affected, including the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System and the Department of Child Safety.

The computer problems with Exela were confined to that company and no state computer systems were compromised, Rose said.

Howard Fischer is a veteran journalist who has been reporting since 1970 and covering state politics and the Legislature since 1982. Follow him on Twitter at @azcapmedia or email [email protected].

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Microsoft Delays Surface Duo Android 11 OS! Employees on Vacation to Blame?

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Microsoft delays the release of Android 11 OS on its Surface Duo base model. For the past few months, this dual-screen smartphone has been left behind when it comes to Android software updates.  

Microsoft Delays Surface Duo Android 11 OS! Employees on Vacation to Blame?

(Photo : Photo by Drew Angerer/Getty Images)

Right now, almost all tech manufacturers are already updating their handsets with the latest Android 12 OS. But, this is the case with the original Surface Duo model. 

Because of this, some experts claimed that the delay of Android 11 OS on the dual-screen gadget is another reason for consumers to avoid purchasing this Microsoft smartphone. 

Although this is the case, the giant software developer confirmed that it is already testing the integration of Android 11 on its Surface Duo. But, Google still needs to do some verifications before the smartphone system is integrated into the handset. 

Why Microsoft Delays Surface Duo’s Android 11 OS Update

According to Android Community‘s latest report, the issue could be with the current staffing of Microsoft and Google. As of the moment, employees in different agencies and companies are still on vacation to celebrate New Year’s Eve. 

Microsoft Delays Surface Duo Android 11 OS! Employees on Vacation to Blame?

(Photo : Photo credit should read GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP via Getty Images)
Visitors walk past the Android stand at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) in Barcelona on February 25, 2019. – Phone makers will focus on foldable screens and the introduction of blazing fast 5G wireless networks at the world’s biggest mobile fair starting February 25 in Spain as they try to reverse a decline in sales of smartphones.

Also Read: Windows Android Apps 2022: Will It Be A Success? Xbox Cloud Gaming, Other Rivals Coming

Experts believe that Microsoft and Google are still short on staff since their employees are also enjoying their vacation leaves. 

But, this is still not the major reason since tech firms are usually scheduling the release of the software. There should be no delay if Microsoft did this since the processes would go as planned. 

If you are a Surface Duo, the best thing you can do right now is still wait for Microsoft’s further announcements before making any conclusion.  

When Will Android 11 OS Arrive on Surface Duo? 

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