‘Positive’ Decryption Tool Given to Irish Health Service After Ransom Attack

Government says ransom has not and will not be paid

A computer keyboard lit by a displayed cyber code is seen in this illustration picture taken on March 1, 2017. Kacper Pempel/Illustration/File/Reuters

The result of initial tests on a decryption tool made available to Ireland’s national health service has been positive, the Irish Health Minister has said.

The Irish Government said on Thursday—almost a week after a ransomware attack of the Health Service Executive’s (HSE) IT system—that a decryption tool had been made available. It also insisted that no ransom had been or would be paid.