Synapxe confirms disruptions caused by a cyberattack; measures are underway to bolster defenses.
SINGAPORE – The web service disruptions that affected public hospitals and polyclinics on November 1 were the result of a distributed denial-of-service (DDoS) attack, according to national healthcare IT provider Synapxe. The cyberattacks, which are ongoing, have caused occasional interruptions to internet-dependent services, prompting swift defensive actions by the IT provider.
The Nature of the Attack
A DDoS attack involves flooding servers with excessive internet traffic, rendering online services inaccessible. Synapxe detected an unusual surge in network traffic at 9:15 a.m. on the day of the incident. This bypassed initial protective measures, overwhelmed internal firewalls, and caused a complete outage of internet-based services across public healthcare institutions.
The attack impacted major hospitals, including Singapore General Hospital, National University Hospital, Khoo Teck Puat Hospital, and Changi General Hospital. Despite the disruptions, patient care and clinical services remained unaffected, with healthcare records remaining accessible throughout the incident.
