'Cyber attacks are no longer rare': A look into breaches, what to do

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Ala. (WBMA) — Cyberattacks are becoming increasingly common across Alabama and the country, impacting government agencies, businesses, schools, and everyday residents as experts warn cyber criminals are growing more sophisticated in how they target personal information.

Over the past two years, several high-profile cyber incidents have affected Alabama agencies and municipalities, including the City of Birmingham, the Alabama State Department of Education, and more recently, the City of Gardendale.

In 2024, Birmingham officials confirmed a disruption of the city’s computer network temporarily paused some online and in-person services involving licensing, taxing, and permitting. The Alabama State Department of Education also confirmed hackers breached some data and disrupted services before staff interrupted and stopped the attack. The department said at the time it was possible personally identifiable information may have been accessed, though it did not believe banking information was involved.

When asked recently for updates on the Birmingham cyberattack, city officials told the ABC 33/40 I-Team all systems and services had been fully restored and there were “no lingering issues or disruptions.”

The city also said its Information Management Services department “continues to invest and adopt best practices related to security issues,” but declined an interview request.

The Alabama State Department of Education also declined to provide additional details or interviews regarding its cyber incident.

“Due to the sensitive nature of cybersecurity matters, the Alabama State Department of Education does not provide , detailed updates, or interviews related to past or potential security incidents,” the department said in a response to ABC 33/40's I-Team. “This approach is in place to protect the integrity of our systems and the safety of the incredibly important data we maintain.”

Cybersecurity experts say these types of incidents are no longer rare.

“Cyberattacks are no longer rare events,” said Dr. Sadik Arin, a professor at Jacksonville State University. “They affect individuals, businesses, schools, hospitals, and government agencies. And the more we rely on technology, the more opportunities cyber criminals have to target all information.”

Arin compared online safety to protecting a .

“I often explain it like locking your doors,” Arin said. “In a safe neighborhood, some people may feel comfortable leaving a door unlocked. But online, we cannot think that way. The internet is not one quiet neighborhood. It connects us to the whole world, including the criminals.”

One of the latest local examples involves the City of Gardendale.

SEE RELATED: Gardendale residents notified after cyber breach exposes sensitive personal data

Some residents recently received letters notifying them that sensitive personal information may have been exposed during unauthorized access to part of the city’s computer network discovered last year.

According to the notification letters, compromised files may have included names, Social Security numbers, and driver’s license numbers.

Gardendale Mayor Stan Hogeland confirmed the letters are legitimate and said even members of his own family were affected.

“My own mother, you know, got one of these letters,” Hogeland said.

The delay between the discovery of the breach and residents receiving notification letters also raised concerns among some residents.

When asked by the I-Team why it took nearly a year for people to be notified, Hogeland said the process was lengthy and complex.

“Going through all of the teams meetings and calls and all the things that have to be investigated, it takes a lot of time to gather that information and go through it to see who and how they might have been affected,” Hogeland said. “It’s just how much time it took. It was several months.”

The city says it has since implemented additional cybersecurity measures.

“We’ve brought in additional resources to beef up our security,” Hogeland said. “There’s been a lot of training with our employees. A lot more measures taken to keep our system better prepared for those that want to do the wrong thing.”

Hogeland also encouraged residents who receive breach notifications to pay close attention to them.

“The number one question is, is this real? And it is real,” Hogeland said. “But it doesn’t mean that necessarily anything has happened to you other than they have some of your information.”

The Better Business Bureau says data breaches are becoming routine.

“We see these data breaches almost weekly,” said Carl Bates, president of the Birmingham Better Business Bureau.

The BBB recommends consumers regularly monitor their credit reports, consider placing freezes on their credit, and take advantage of free identity monitoring services offered after breaches.

“One, they need to the compromising company or city government to see what they are doing and what they are providing,” Bates said. “Most companies and even the city governments are providing some credit monitoring services for free to anybody whose data has been breached and you should take advantage of that as a consumer.”

Experts also warn stolen information may not be used immediately.

“It might not be a risk that happens in the first week,” Bates said. “It might be a risk that happens six months or a year from now. We have to remember these scammers who take this data are building a portfolio on each one of us.”

The BBB says criminals often collect pieces of information from multiple breaches over time before attempting identity theft.

“It may be they got a little from this government hack, they got a little bit from this credit card company and then they put all that together and now they have enough to steal your identity,” Bates said. “And it may take them years and they are willing to put the time into do it.”

Cybersecurity professionals also warn artificial intelligence is creating new challenges.

“AI is a double-edged sword now,” Dr. Arin said. “It can help cybersecurity professionals detect threats and analyze large amounts of data, but criminals can also use AI to write more convincing phishing emails, create fake messages, or automate scams because they may look real.”

Dr. Arin said many cyberattacks begin with human mistakes rather than sophisticated hacking tools.

“Most of the time, cyber attacks begin with a human error, actually,” Arin said. “A person may click a fake link, open a suspicious attachment, or respond to a message that looks legitimate, and cyber criminals often attack people first, not just computers.”

Experts recommend using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, monitoring financial accounts, and taking breach notification letters seriously.

“Any time you get a letter that says we’ve had a data breach and your data has been involved — here’s what we’re offering to help you protect yourself — you should take advantage of that,” Bates said. “You should not just assume that’s going to go away. This is not going to go away. It’s eventually going to come back to haunt you if you’re not careful.”