Dodgy NHS apps

Many NHS-accredited smartphone health apps leak data that could be used for ID theft and fraud, a study has found.

The apps are included in NHS England's Health Apps Library, which tests programs to ensure they meet standards of clinical and data safety.

But the study by researchers in London discovered that, despite the vetting, some apps flouted privacy standards and sent data without encrypting it.

The apps that leaked the most data have now been removed from the library.

Link.

Edited by RobertoS (Sun 27-Sep-15 00:16:34)

Doesnt surprise me. I work for the NHS and our IT department is a joke. Outsourced to a 3rd party who are next to useless.

We still run IE9

Agreed, NHS IT is appalling...

They usually just accept the cheapest bid when it comes to IT contracts and although they're over inflated due to it being the NHS, they're cheap for a reason

In reply to a post by bobble_bob:

Doesnt surprise me. I work for the NHS and our IT department is a joke. Outsourced to a 3rd party who are next to useless.

I work for a company that supplies a service to the NHS and it doesn't surprise me either. Mostly we deal with surgeries and the networks they have to work with are often poor.

Our current battle is with one hospital that is using IP Geolocation to claim that Azure computing can't be used because their servers aren't always within Northern Europe. We've explained about the problems with IP geolocation and sent them all the MS documentation stating that Azure meets the various government standards but it cuts no ice :/

Edited by Andrue (Sun 27-Sep-15 19:22:07)

Our department didnt allow USB desk fans to be plugged into the computer incase it gave the PC a virus

Wasnt until a few pointed out the fan is just a motor and doesnt pass any data that we were allowed them

You think that's bad, you should see some of the crazy dictacts from management about clinical care.

I could write a book on it...

Just keep my head down and try and ignore it.