Thieves no longer break in – they log in

Letters to the editor: our readers share their views. Please send your letters to letters@independent.co.uk

In response to your recent article about identity theft (“Not to alarm you, but your Social Security number is already leaked”, Wednesday 13 November), it’s important to emphasise just how high the stakes are – not only for individuals, but for the security of entire nations.

Using stolen identities, hackers are increasingly able to gain access to government systems and corporate networks, posing as legitimate users. This type of infiltration allows them to bypass conventional security measures, with potentially devastating consequences.

The threat is clear: attackers no longer need to break in – they log in.

The recent surge in phishing and other identity-based attacks provides hackers with the power to disrupt everything, from healthcare and transportation to other critical infrastructure.

The rewards for these criminals have never been greater, and the consequences for society can be severe. Companies must prioritise monitoring for suspicious account activity, but consumers also have a role to play in safeguarding their own personal information.

Dan Lattimer

Thames Dutton, Surrey

With NHS hospitals, we get what we pay for

The public will have little sympathy when top NHS bosses, often on bloated salaries, are removed from their posts, either out of wilful neglect or sheer incompetence (“The NHS should respond well to Wes Streeting’s ministrations”, Wednesday 13 November).

However, the health secretary should also be mindful of the inadvertent consequences that NHS reforms can risk.

When, some 20 years ago, another Labour health secretary, Alan Milburn, introduced similar measures – alongside the creation of a new kind of hospital, called foundation trusts, with the freedom to raise finance and set their own rules on private patient income – it effectively created a two-tiered NHS.

It soon became apparent that the highest performing of these foundation trusts invariably served the more affluent areas and the lowest the most deprived.

The financial stringencies required to become foundation trusts often distorted their priorities away from quality, patient safety and compassionate care towards financial and reputational considerations.

As the Francis Report later discovered, one of these foundation trusts was the Mid Staffordshire Hospital.

Paul Dolan

Northwich, Cheshire

We’re all stuck with this health service

All British hospitals appear to suffer from the same problem: bottlenecks – in the form of waiting lists for treatment, beds after an emergency visit, lack of staff and, of course, hanging around before an appointment (“Long waits in A&E rise as NHS braces for winter”, Thursday 14 November).

For the past 70 years, my family and I have made many visits to my local, and various other hospitals. Without exception when seen by a doctor, consultant or nurse, the treatment provided was first-rate and a follow-up, when booked by the above, was quick and reassuring.

In my view, it is the organisational failures by management that anger the British public, not the treatment.

These extremely well-paid “managers” seem unable to manage effectively, and are thereby compromising the hospitals and wider NHS with their incompetence. We should not blame or disenfranchise practitioners who provide the care needed, but it’s clear that senior management are failing to respond in time to the public’s changing needs.

Keith Poole

Basingstoke, Hampshire

Sowing the seeds of insecurity

It is beyond belief to me that, at a time when most countries are seriously concerned about their food security, our government is employing practices that will lead to the loss of many of our farms (“A tractor tax will hurt the British countryside like nothing else”, Tuesday 5 November).

At a time of catastrophic weather events, we can be sure that the imported food supplies on which we rely are at risk. We should be giving assistance to our farmers to produce more homegrown food, not destroying their livelihood.

Most farms are asset-rich due to the land being of high worth, but the farmers themselves are not. They work all hours just to be productive.

I hope the farmers’ protest outside parliament next week makes the population of the UK aware of the risks associated with this government’s plan to make farmers pay inheritance tax.

Steve Vickers

Address supplied

Keeping it classy

I was shocked by Richard Price’s letter in The Independent regarding the two-child benefit cap (Your View: “Symptoms and the cause”, Wednesday 13 November).

The mark of civilisation is how we support those of us who have less than they need, regardless of the size of their families.

It always seems reasonable to say parents should “take responsibility” – but it is the children who actually suffer the consequences and struggle to change their position in life.

A return to the class system where we all know our place is the last thing we need.

Laura Dawson

St Albans, Hertfordshire