Worldwide ransomware hack hits hospitals, phone companies

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Ransomware attack worldwideA global ransomware attack is holding more than 60,000 computers hostage.

Banks, telephone companies and hospitals have all been ensnared in the worldwide hack, with the malware locking down computers while demanding a hefty sum for freedom.

The attack has hit thousands of computers across China, Russia, Spain, Italy and Vietnam, but hospitals in England have attracted the most attention because real lives are at risk while their devices are locked down.

IT systems and phone lines in National Health Service hospitals were locked up on Friday, in a coordinated attack across the world. The East and North Hertfordshire NHS trust updated its website shortly after the attack, telling visitors that they were "currently experiencing significant problems with our IT and telephone network."

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