Hackers, Hospitals, and Your Phone Company: Why You Should Care About Cyberattacks

Hey there! So, I’m a lawyer—but before you tune out thinking this is going to be boring legal stuff, hang on. My job is actually pretty interesting (I promise). I help people and organizations—like hospitals, schools, banks, and even city bus systems—deal with cyberattacks. That means when hackers break in and mess with computers or steal sensitive information, I’m one of the people who gets called to help sort out the mess and figure out what to do next.

This past weekend, something happened that might sound like it’s from a movie, but it’s very real—and pretty scary. Two major hospitals in Delhi, India (yes, the city, not a sandwich shop), got hit with a cyberattack that shut down a lot of their operations. Think about that. You go to the hospital because you’re sick, and they tell you they can’t help you properly because their computers are locked up by hackers. That’s exactly what happened.

Now, you might be wondering why I’m telling you this. Most of you probably live nowhere near Delhi. But here’s the thing: the same kind of attack could happen anywhere—including the U.S. In fact, it’s happening here already, and more often than you might think.

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What Actually Happened?

So here’s the short version. Over the night of June 10th and 11th, cybercriminals broke into the networks of two hospitals in Delhi. They used something called ransomware, which is basically a type of malware that locks up a computer system until the victim pays a ransom—usually in cryptocurrency, like Bitcoin. The hackers encrypted the hospital’s data, which means they scrambled it so no one could read it unless they had the special digital key to unlock it. And guess who had the key? Yep, the hackers.

Because of this, the hospitals lost access to patient records, appointment systems, and even billing information. They had to go back to using paper for everything. Some people were turned away because staff couldn’t access their medical histories. Doctors couldn’t check lab results. Patients couldn’t be admitted. Total chaos.

Law enforcement in India started an investigation right away, but that doesn’t solve the immediate problem: lives are put at risk when hospitals can’t function.

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Why This Should Matter to You (Even If You’re in the U.S.)

Okay, you might be thinking, “Well, that’s rough, but it’s in another country.” But here’s where it gets real. In just the past three months, over 130 cyberattacks like this have hit healthcare systems around the world—and more than half of them were in the United States.

Hospitals like Ascension, which is one of the largest healthcare networks in the U.S., recently got hit with ransomware too. In that case, more than 5.6 million people had their personal health data exposed. Can you imagine your name, birthday, address, maybe even your medical diagnoses or prescriptions—leaked or sold online?

And it’s not just hospitals. Hackers are going after schools, banks, public transportation, and yes—even your phone company.

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The AT&T Breach: A Giant “Oops” in Telecom

Let’s talk about AT&T. In May 2025, AT&T confirmed a breach that affected a whopping 86 million customers. That’s about a quarter of the U.S. population.

Hackers got access to all kinds of sensitive information—names, phone numbers, email addresses, birth dates, and even Social Security numbers. That’s everything someone needs to pretend to be you, open credit cards in your name, or commit fraud.

Maybe your family has an AT&T plan. Maybe your phone number is floating around in that stolen data. If it is, you could start seeing weird emails, strange charges on your accounts, or even identity theft down the line. This stuff is no joke.

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So… How Do These Hackers Keep Getting In?

Most of the time, hackers don’t use high-level spy tools. They usually get in because someone clicked the wrong email link or used a weak password like “123456” (yes, people still do that).

Sometimes they find a vulnerability—basically a crack in the system—that nobody patched up. It’s like leaving your front door unlocked, then wondering why someone broke in. Except in this case, the “house” is a hospital’s computer system or your phone company’s customer database.

Once inside, they move quickly. They lock things down, take what they want, and leave behind a ransom note. Often, they demand payment in cryptocurrency and threaten to leak the stolen data if they’re not paid.

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What Organizations Are Supposed to Do About Cyberattacks

Here’s where my lawyer hat comes on for a sec. In the U.S., there are laws that say organizations must protect your data—and if something bad happens, they have to tell you.

For healthcare providers, it’s HIPAA. You might’ve heard of it when filling out forms at the doctor’s office. HIPAA says hospitals must keep your health info safe and tell you if it’s been compromised.

For schools, it’s FERPA. That protects your education records.

For banks and financial companies, it’s the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (bit of a mouthful, I know), which requires strict protection of customer financial info.

When a breach happens, these organizations have a limited amount of time to notify people, fix the problem, and prove to regulators that they’re taking it seriously.

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What If Cyberattacks Happened at Your School?

Imagine your school’s network gets hacked. Your grades, attendance, maybe even the notes from your guidance counselor—all exposed. That’s the kind of stuff that can happen when school districts don’t invest enough in cybersecurity.

I’ve seen it happen. Some schools don’t even realize they’ve been hacked until the hackers post a message on their website or send ransom notes demanding payment. It can take weeks to clean up, and students can lose access to online classes, report cards, and more.

Cyberattacks aren’t just about stealing money. They can completely shut down your education, your healthcare, even your family’s finances.

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What Can You Do About It?

Now, I don’t want to freak you out about cyberattacks. The idea isn’t to make you scared. It’s to help you understand that this is the world we live in—and that you can be part of the solution.

Even as a student, there are things you can do to protect yourself from Cyberattacks and stay cyber-smart.

Use strong passwords. Don’t click on sketchy links or random downloads. Update your apps and devices regularly. Think twice before sharing personal info online. And if you ever feel like something’s off—tell someone. Whether it’s your school, your parents, or even your phone company, early action can make a big difference.

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Small Businesses Can Be Targets of Cyberattacks Too

Oh—and remember earlier when I said “Delhi” is the city in India? If by “Deli” you actually meant a small neighborhood sandwich shop (which some people do), guess what? Hackers go after those places too.

A lot of local businesses use online systems for payments and customer orders. If they don’t protect themselves, your credit card info can get stolen just from ordering a sandwich.

Cybersecurity isn’t just a “big business” issue anymore. It’s an everyone issue.

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Final Thoughts: This Is the New Reality

Here’s the deal. Whether we like it or not, digital life is real life. And just like we lock our doors at night and look both ways before crossing the street, we need to be just as careful online.

Hospitals in Delhi. Customers at AT&T. Patients at Ascension. These aren’t distant problems. Cyberattacks are everyday risks now.

But the more we understand them, the more power we have to protect ourselves.

You don’t have to be a tech wizard or a lawyer to stay safe—you just need to stay alert, ask questions, and know your rights. That’s how we all become a little more secure, together.

Thanks for sticking with me. If you’ve got questions—about hacking, privacy, or how this affects you—I’m always here to chat.

Until then, stay smart and stay safe online.