- In 2007, a foreign power (according to 60 Minutes, we don’t know who) managed to hack in to the Departments of Defense, State, Energy and more. They stole terebytes of classified information.
And if you think that’s bad…
- In November of 2008 “someone” was able to gain access to the CENTCOM network (the network the military uses to command the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan along with the rest of our military operations around the globe) and stayed inside for several days.
But that isn’t even the worst of it. According to no less an authority that former DNI Mike McConnell, hostile agents have successfully hacked into to our power grid and water supply, “mapping out our networks and presumably leaving behind malicious software.” The result could be a sabotage effort that could leave a major city in the dark for days. Think that’s a far fetched possibility? It isn’t. Its already happened, just not in the U.S. In 2007, the state of Espirito Santo in Brazil was plunged into darkness for two days as a result of a cyber attack. Two days without electricity doesn’t sound all that terrible, but what if it happened in Chicago in the middle of January? Or Phoenix in August? The result could be catastrophic.
Mass media has an unfortunate history of spreading panic and fear unnecessarily (see Flu, Swine). To my eyes, the threat of cyber terrorism is far more real, and far more newsworthy.
I wouldn't worry too much about it. Whatever happens, it will probably result in more of a balance of world power.
Your hero Bush was quite a winner there, chum.
But what if you are that poor guy with swine flu? Then this isn't more scary. What about him?
Just kidding. Figured I'd try the "but what about the little guy" argument for once. Yeah, this is pretty scary stuff. I was watching Mad Men, but still very unnerving stuff.
The second wave of swine flu has arrived as 84,000 contracted the virus in the UK last week Swine Flu UK