Microsoft secures mammoth security deal with the NHS

Agreement will see Microsoft secure over 1.5 million NHS machines

Microsoft has signed an agreement with NHS Digital which will see it provide its Enterprise Threat Detection Service across 1.5 million NHS devices.

The partnership was piloted with Blackpool Teaching Hospitals Foundation Trust, and has now been deployed to 30,000 machines.

The mass rollout comes after the NHS was crippled by WannaCry last year, largely as a result of failing to install the latest operating systems and patches.

NHS Digital's director of security Dan Taylor said: "This deal will further bolster protection against cybersecurity issues in the NHS.

"It is our role to alert organisations to known cybersecurity threats and advise them of appropriate steps to minimise risks. This marks a step change in our capability to provide high-quality, targeted alerts to allow organisations to counter these threats and ensure patients' needs continue to be met."

Microsoft's Threat Detection Service provides organisations with notifications when issues are detected, down to individual machines, and will provide advice on the remediation needed.