A US hospital network took weeks to recover from a ransomware attack.
Medical staff recalled the situation inside their ward:
“It’s putting patients’ lives in danger. People have too many patients for what is safe. Nurses are taking on five or six patients, dealing with all of this paper charting. It’s frightening how many safety guardrails have been out of service without any computers.”
Everything you do, hour by hour, depends on vital services.
Compromised technology is only the beginning—the harm always reaches people, often the most vulnerable.
The fallout ripples through our basic needs: canceled surgeries, power outages, water and fuel shortages, food supply disruptions, broken communications, and transport chaos.
As the number of victims rises, one question demands an answer: what does a cyberattack really cost society?
What We Do
Critical Cyber is a public interest initiative working globally to expose the human cost of cyber threats to the sectors people rely on to live, work, and stay safe.
We amplify the voices of people who have lived through and defended against cyberattacks. Their firsthand accounts make the full cost undeniable—and the demand for accountability urgent.
Our work combines testimony, research, and expert collaboration to:
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with clear insights into the human cost of cyber incidents, making the stakes visible and actionable.
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through their recovery, building resilience and helping others prepare and respond.
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through evidence-to-policy design, translating frontline experience into policy reform.
Scale of Harm
Healthcare
Ransomware forces hospitals to cancel surgeries, divert ambulances, and return to paper records. 445 healthcare providers were attacked worldwide in 2025.
Energy
Cyberattacks on power grids leave homes, hospitals, and businesses without electricity. Ransomware attacks on energy companies worldwide jumped 80% in 2024.
Water
A single operator incident nearly poisoned drinking water supplies in Florida. Water systems globally face growing exposure with limited defenses.
Food
Attacks on agriculture disrupt tightly linked supply chains from farm to shelf. Ransomware attacks against the US agriculture sector soared 27% in 2024.
Communications
Emergency services and families lose the ability to connect when networks go down. Telecom providers were a top target for cyber espionage in 2024.
Transportation
Cyberattacks have disrupted major European airports, delayed rail networks, and grounded flights for thousands of passengers.
Manufacturing
A data breach halted a car manufacturer’s assembly lines, cutting workers’ hours and pay. Production shutdowns ripple through entire supply chains.
Education
Schools shut down, exams are canceled, and children’s personal data is exposed. Data breaches regularly disrupt education for millions of students worldwide.
Government
Ransomware attacks on municipalities disrupt public services, expose citizen data, and paralyze local government. 2025 saw a historic surge in attacks on city governments.
Finance
65% of financial organizations worldwide reported a ransomware attack in 2024—threatening savings, payments, and economic stability for millions.