Russian hackers have accessed hundreds of thousands of sensitive NHS documents, with some relating to the royal family.
The data breach has seen 169,000 confidential documents leaked on the dark web after the ransomware gang exploited a bug in the NHS's software.
Many of the impacted are high-profile patients, with some involving Russian hackers accessing sensitive NHS documents from multiple royal residences, The Mail on Sunday revealed.
These included Buckingham Palace, Windsor Castle, Sandringham and King Charles's official home, Clarence House.
Russian hackers have accessed sensitive NHS documents form multiple royal residences | PA / GETTYTRENDING
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It is unclear which royals were treated and for what purpose. However, the leak has led to serious concerns about the security of medical details of the Royal Household, which possesses the King's information about his ongoing cancer treatment.
Others impacted by the breach include the BBC and Premier League football clubs.
The Bahraini Royal Family have also been hit, as well as British aristocrats.
The NHS and the Treasury use Oracle software, which provides financial management and HR support to organisations.
Hackers have obtained 169,000 confidential documents
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In October, cybersecurity experts warned about the vulnerability of the software to Russian hackers and that attempts at "exploitation" were "highly likely".
Researchers at Google warned that hackers from a group called Clop sent emails to executives at "numerous organisations… alleging the theft of sensitive data".
The group demanded money for the safety of the documents, but they have since been revealed online.
Barts NHS Health Trust is taking legal action to stop the data from being made public.
Documents from multiple royal residences have been accessed
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An NHS spokesman said: "There are no national systems impacted [but it had] supported a local NHS organisation."
The news follows His Majesty confirming his cancer treatment schedule will be scaled back in the New Year.
He described the development as "both a personal blessing and a testimony to the remarkable advances that have been made in cancer care in recent years".
The monarch used the platform to urge viewers across the United Kingdom to prioritise cancer screenings, revealing that a minimum of nine million people have fallen behind on available screening programmes.
The NHS uses Oracle software, which cybersecurity experts warned about the vulnerability to Russian hackers
| PASince the King's plea, more than 100,000 people have visited Cancer Research UK's new screening checker.
The charity made the service available on December 5, with the majority of individuals accessing the site after Charles posted his video on Friday.
The tool allows visitors to quickly check the different types of cancer screenings available with the NHS and Public Health Agency in Northern Ireland and helps them find out which ones apply to them.
Michelle Mitchell, chief executive at Cancer Research UK, said: "Since launching our new Cancer Screening Checker, we've seen around 100,000 visits so far from people seeking information about cancer screening, with most of these taking place after his majesty the King spoke openly about his own cancer journey during the Stand Up To Cancer live show."
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