Google Thinks UK NHS is a Botnet

[engine]

The Register reports that Google is blocking the UK's NHS with users getting a CAPTCHA popup. WebmasterWorld Members will know that's usually because Google suspects it's a bot or from some kind of automated search.

The NHS recommends using Bing instead of Google.

The email headed "Google Access" stated: "Google is intermittently blocking access due to the amount of traffic from NHS Trusts Nationally (This is not being blocked by the IT Department).

"This is causing Google to think it is suffering from a cyber-attack.

"We are advising staff to use an alternative search engine i.e. Bing to bypass this problem. Google Thinks UK NHS is a Botnet [theregister.co.uk]

[topr8]

i would have thought that google would be able to connect medical related searches with the NHS and realise they are legitimate.

they certainly aren't shopping online, using facebook or doing searches unrelated to work because they are too busy caring for people.

[Dimitri]

May be some computers were hacked, and used to run DDos or other kind of automatic queries.

[engine]

I would have thought it was obvious to Google, but, perhaps their automated systems just kick in whenever it detects too many clicks. It happens quite easily, but i could imagine that the NHS would have a heck of a lot of clicks.

[superclown2]

The NHS recommends using Bing instead of Google

I fully concur.

[Robert Charlton]

Too many clicks, and/or a very systematic pattern of searching.

[Paddy Displays]

May be some computers were hacked, and used to run DDos or other kind of automatic queries.

I think the NHS has a very strict system were everything is run off the server with the pcs are like terminals, users can't install anything. Don't think they can even plug in a pen drive.