NHS England rushes to hide software over AI hacking fears - New Scientist

NHS England has issued new guidance that demands all existing and future software be kept behind closed doors, withdrawing it from public view. The move is motivated by fears of hacking from cutting-edge AI, according to the New Scientist report. The guidance represents a significant shift in the organisation's approach to software security, prioritizing opacity over openness.

The new policy covers both current systems and any future software developed for the NHS. The guidance was issued with urgency, suggesting immediate perceived risk.

The guidance is a response to the increasing sophistication of AI tools that can be used to identify vulnerabilities in software exposed to the public internet. By concealing software from public view, NHS England aims to reduce the attack surface available to malicious actors. The move is part of a broader trend of organisations reassessing their cybersecurity posture in light of advancing AI capabilities, and it may have implications for transparency in public sector software development. It remains to be seen how this will affect collaboration with third-party developers and academic researchers.