Deryck Mitchelson, from cyber security firm Check Point, said the cyber attacks were more than just “disruption” as they caused “patient harm”.
Mr Mitchelson, formerly director of National Digital and chief information security officer for NHS National Services Scotland, said IT systems were only ever as secure as the weakest link in the chain.
“The death now confirmed is tragic, but it is not surprising. When systems that underpin diagnostics and treatment are brought down at scale, the consequences are not hypothetical. This is the real-world cost,” he said.
“This wasn’t a faceless act. It wasn’t just systems or data you targeted — it was care. It was people. One of them has now lost their life. That should weigh heavily.”