Maybe, but unlikely. I think it's more of an "ethics" issue (read: attackers don't want to get more heat than needed and also the HSE would have trouble paying for it)
Yeah looks like they did gave them the decryption tool.
I just know quite a lot of cases where non-health related systems were hit with ransomware over here, and that was the route they took to recover the data.
Comments
Maybe, but unlikely. I think it's more of an "ethics" issue (read: attackers don't want to get more heat than needed and also the HSE would have trouble paying for it)
Usually the ransom is paid by 3rd party.
Goverment agency hires a contractor for data recovery, the rate is Ransom + flat rate. they just pay the ransom and recover the data.
The ransom was not paid, to the best of my knowledge, indirectly via a contractor as you stated or directly.
https://www.rte.ie/news/2021/0520/1222857-hse-weekly-briefin...
This is the government-funded news media organisation, akin to the BBC here — but I have sufficient trust that they didn't
Yeah looks like they did gave them the decryption tool.
I just know quite a lot of cases where non-health related systems were hit with ransomware over here, and that was the route they took to recover the data.