The Tongan Ministry of Health has confirmed that hackers stole critical patient information from the national health information system and leaked it online.
This follows the June 15 hack of the databases, an attack that Health Minister Dr ‘Ana ‘Akau’ola described (in Tongan) as having emotionally affected the IT professional responsible for maintaining the system.
The most recent update indicates that what was leaked on June 27 represents merely “a small sample” of “confidential” data.
“No information was deleted or changed as part of this attack,” the Ministry said in a statement this evening.
It is expected that more “information about Tongan patients could be published online, in the future”, by the hackers.
The leaked data is believed to have included “patient information and medical records.”
The Ministry stated that its primary concern is “for vulnerable groups”, who are most acutely affected by breaches of this nature.
It confirmed that the government was expected to directly contact individuals in these groups to ensure they understand the risks and take additional precautions regarding their cybersecurity and personal safety.
The Ministry earlier reported that the Australian Cyber RAPID team restored the system using backups, with recovery “progressing steadily.”
It stated that health records remain accessible as repairs continue.
Ransom Demand Rejected
The INC Ransom group, which demanded US$1 million (approximately TOP$2.4 million) from Tonga, was behind the attack; however, the government rejected the payment.
The Minister of Police, Piveni Piukala, confirmed the demand, stating that paying the money is not globally recommended.
The Ministry’s statement says similar breaches have increased across the Pacific, including a 2022 incident in Australia where hackers accessed limited patient records.
However, the Tonga breach appears more severe, given the confirmed leak and threats of additional disclosures.
The Government of Tonga’s Cyber Security Committee was working in a coordinated effort to continue responding to the attack, with support from Australian Government cybersecurity experts.
The government has established a dedicated hotline for concerned individuals and has pledged to provide updates as the investigation progresses.
Cybersecurity experts emphasised the need for enhanced digital protections across Pacific health networks to combat the rising threat of such attacks.
