Cyber Attacks Hit Key US Infrastructure
242: How to Prepare For Cyber Warfare
Today we’ve got a super interesting and pertinent post after demand from subscribers to expand on the topic. Timing is good considering we had cyber events transpire yesterday within the US and during the last month or so across the globe.
The Chinese struck US systems this week in a new wave of cyber attacks after months of Russian and Iranian attempts globally.
Among the targets in this series of attacks were a water utility in Hawaii, a major West Coast shipping port and at least one oil and gas pipeline, people familiar with the incidents told The Washington Post. The hackers also attempted to break into the operator of Texas’s power grid, which operates independently from electrical systems in the rest of the country. This should make people uneasy.
It is evident that our enemies are becoming more bold in testing out our reaction times, defenses, and counter cyber ability in recent months, coinciding with a breakdown in the stability across the globe characterized by conflict in Ukraine, Israel, and parts of southeast Asia.
“China probably currently represents the broadest, most active, and persistent cyber espionage threat to U.S. Government and private-sector networks. China’s cyber pursuits and its industry’s export of related technologies increase the threats of aggressive cyber operations against the U.S. homeland. . . China almost certainly is capable of launching cyber attacks that could disrupt critical infrastructure services within the United States, including against oil and gas pipelines, and rail systems."
—The Office of the Director of National Intelligence’s 2023 Annual Threat Assessment
Have you ever thought much about cyber attacks or how it would impact your life if we saw a major disruption in the US? If you couldn’t communicate with your loved ones across the country? Or call the police or an ambulance? Or get home from the city because stop lights are out and traffic is hopelessly backed up?
Today’s deep dive is a comprehensive overview of where the US stands with growing cyber warfare risk, how society views these risks, and how individuals can prepare for the unfortunate reality posed if we are hit with significant cyber attacks that cripple US infrastructure and the ability to live our lives normally.
Cyber threats are very much real and a vital piece of offensive military capability in the new age of warfare. Because so many modern societies are heavily reliant on technology and systems dependent on networks and computers, they are vulnerable to cyber attacks that could cause mass panic, render military defensive capability useless, and cripple key infrastructure — everything from stop lights to hospitals to data centers.
Imagine you’re on your way home from work and realize that your phone has completely lose signal. You head to the subway to jet home and all of the electronics have gone completely haywire — trains have bumped up against each other, people are panicking, and electronic display signs are displaying complete gibberish. You head back up to the street and realize that all of the stop lights in the city are blinking three different colors intermittently.
As a result traffic has completely clogged the streets, people are frustrated, arguing, and you see a few accidents as you rush along the sidewalk. Your phone still isn’t able to get a signal and the internet is down completely.
As you pass a bank you see people arguing and fighting in line to try to get to an ATM — it’s clear they aren’t working. You finally get home and pass a neighbor who says something about the internet being broken. You can’t contact loved ones or friends and you sit in silence in your apartment helpless without the modern crutch of connectivity and internet.
This might seem far fetched but it’s not — a well placed cyber attack or worm could cripple an entire region or countries internet and network capacity quickly causing widespread confusion and chaos.
Today’s guide will talk through the present risk of cyber attacks, the consequences for all of us if they were to occur, and how you can prepare effectively to deal with one if it happens in the future. As the 2024 election year approaches, confrontations with our enemies abroad escalate, and society becomes more unstable — you’d be foolish to ignore this pressing and ever present threat to the US and the way we live our lives.
We’ll talk through:
An overview of current cyber risks to the US (China, Russia, Iran)
How society perceives cyber threats, signs of things to come
Why a massive cyber attack/grid shutdown could be inevitable
How to prepare yourself for the downsides of cyber threats
As you’ll see — the evidence is mounting that this is an inevitability and not a rare one off risk scenario. Let’s start with the current risk level in the US and Eastern countries. Everyone should be aware of the risks and implications of cyber attacks. If they were to occur the chances it would negatively impact you directly are high.
The single biggest existential threat that's out there, I think, is cyber.
— Michael Mullen