Tweakers · Technology

Lab allowed to conduct population screening after hack

Clinical Diagnostics is again allowed to conduct population screening for cervical cancer after a cyberattack and a data breach. The lab's security has been tightened.

Minister of Health Sofie Hermans reports that cooperation with the lab is being resumed after investigation by independent bodies. Cybersecurity was found to be inadequate after the data breach in August 2025.

Since October 2025, the number of invitations for population screening has been halved, because Clinical Diagnostics, the largest of the few Dutch labs capable of doing this, was shut down.

Due to the long standstill, a backlog has arisen that is estimated to take until 2028 to catch up. From October, the number of invitations will return to the original level.

Investigation revealed shortcomings in information security and quality management. Population Screening Netherlands has conducted audits and concludes that the lab now meets the security requirements and the ISO 15189 certificate has been extended.

A PwC investigation into the large-scale data breach pointed to shortcomings in operational processes, ICT systems, data flows, and underlying ICT infrastructures.

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