An investigation into the attempted hacking of a nationwide health database used by district health boards and hundreds of medical centres around the country is continuing.
In an email on September 13, the Southern Primary Health Organisation advised health organisations and GPs of an unsuccessful, but ''significant hacking attempt'' four days earlier.
Over 24 hours, 20 million hits were made on the DrInfo site in an attempt to breach passwords and to access files. A National Cyber Crime Centre spokesman declined to comment on what was an ongoing investigation.
He would say only more information was being sought from DrInfo, for technical analysis, before the matter was referred back to police.
There have been concerns the hacking may have originated from a South Island-based group.
DrInfo does not hold detailed patient information, but prompts practitioners to schedule, reschedule or recall patients for a variety of health checks or screenings.
DrInfo co-founder and chief executive Sam Jacobs said, when contacted, the unsuccessful hacking incident had not prompted a security review, given security was regularly upgraded and updated.
''We've been around eight years and have never had a problem like this,'' he said.
During the past week, DrInfo had been responding to the requests of the Cyber Crime Centre, but otherwise ''it's in their hands and they're following it up'', Mr Jacobs said.
