The 8 most likely disaster Scenarios Countdown: Number One (Cyber Attack)

Hello, my friend and welcome back!  We have finally reached what I consider to be the single most likely Man Made Disaster and that’s a Cyber Attack on our Electrical Grid. In today’s post, I’m going to give you a scenario and discuss what you can do now to be ready for when it happens so grab a cup of coffee my friend and have a seat while we visit.

One of the things that make a Cyber Attack so dangerous is that many people underestimate the chances of it happening and just how much damage it can cause. To put it in a nutshell, it could cripple the US and cause the deaths of millions both directly and indirectly.  Let’s take a look at today’s scenario.

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Salman slowly looked around the room to be sure he was in fact alone in the server room where he worked.  Before entering, he had pushed the security camera so that it faced the other side of the room, so no one would see what he was up to. Reaching into his pocket and removing the small USB thumb drive and moving over to one of the giant server racks he placed it into the port on the front of it. Pulling out a drawer on the front and revealing a small monitor and keyboard, he began to type. “CD E: / Execute Allahs_Revenge.exe; “ hitting the return button, the screen went blank and then returned to the login screen.  Removing the thumb drive and closing the drawer, he turned and walked away with a smirk on his face.

” Now they’ll get what’s coming to them” •he thought as he closed the door to the server room.

Salman was just one of many ISIS operatives who had been assigned this same task all over the US. Each one designed to take down a different part of the US electrical system and major networks.  Since the  attacks in Europe and around the world, all major systems had been upgraded to use a new Firewall system that virtually guaranteed no one would get through. This forced the need to physically access a server behind the firewall, fortunately however over the past years they had infiltrated the systems posing as Coders and Electrical Engineers. This was the day that they all would strike as one, forcing the systems to their knees.

Paul was sitting at his kitchen table and talking to his wife when the lights suddenly went out.  Turning towards his wife, he casually asked if she had paid the electric bill this month? The morning light from outside filtered in through the kitchen window allowing him to see the look on her face when he asked. Before he could move, his hat went flying across the table as his wife took a swipe at him.  “Yes I did and you damn well know it!” she said with a mischievous grin on her face.  “Now get your butt up and go to work before I put you to work around here.” Rising from the table he leaned over and kissed her on the forehead then turned and went out the door for work humming a tune as he went.

As she sat finishing her coffee she wondered what had caused the lights to go out.  Getting up and placing her cup into the kitchen, she headed for their “Radio Room” as they called it.  It was a small room in the back of their home with a large desk and shelves lined with radios of different types.  Paul was a ham radio operator and had talked her into getting her license as well.  It was something they both enjoyed together.  “Thank God these run on 12-volt batteries!” she thought to herself.  Reaching down and grabbing the mike of one of the smaller VHF radios, she keyed it and began to speak. “KG5KRK this is K5PCL are you there Cindy?”  After a few moments, the radio came alive with a voice saying “this is KG5KRK, what’s up Sally?”  “Our power went out a little while ago and I was wondering if yours was out as well?”  “It sure is”, came the reply.  ” From what I’m hearing on the HF 20 Meter band, it’s out all over the nation.”

“ Some of the Hams are calling it a Terrorist Attack, but I’m not sure how much I believe that right now.”  “OK, well I need to go pick up a few groceries and get some gas for the car and I thought I would swing by your place when I’m done. If that’s OK?”  “Sure, come on by” was the reply, but the power is still out I doubt you will be getting any gas, Paul,” she said.  Hold on a minute, Jim just walked in, let me see if he know anything and I will call you back..”

As Sally turned and walked back into the kitchen, she noticed her husband Paul’s truck pull back into the driveway.  Walking outside to meet him. She asked “Why are you back so soon, I told you to go to work she said with a grin.  “Powers out at the plant too, so they sent us all home until it comes back oPaulsaid with a frown.  “The gas station on the corner has a big sign stuck out front saying ‘ NO GAS” and “Power Outage special: All Ice Cream on sale.”  I would have to be on a diet she complained as the walked into the house.

Cindy said the hams are Hams on HF are reporting that the power is out all over the nation CIndy told me.”  Paul stopped dead in his tracks and looked at her as in disbelief.  “All over the nation you said?”   “That’s what CIndy said.” she replied. Thinking for a minute and then said there is only one way that could happen if everything else is working. It has to be a Cyber attack on our electrical infrastructure!” he exclaimed.  ?Oh this is bad, really bad!” He thought as he continued into the house.

Reaching the house, he turned to his wife and told her to fill up everything they had with water. “With the poser out, the water tower will soon be dry and then it will start getting ugly. Going over to the radio room Paul sat down and turned his favorite HF radio on and began to scan the frequencies for any information he could find.  Stopping on one frequency, he could here two men talking about the explosions and smoke that he had heard and seen coming from their primary Power station. “It will take them years to build new transformers to replace the ones that were destroyed”, one voice said. That means no gas can be made at the refinery and it won’t take long for the food trucks to run out and stop delivering food.  The Hospitable here is running on Generators, but that won’t last long and then the people on life support will die” the other voice said.  Yes, they hit us hard the first voice said and it will take years to get all of the systems back online if ever.” came the first voice.

Hearing that Paul reached over and turned the radio off. “ I sure am glad we have a few solar panels and batteries in the barn, but some people won’t have anything at all.  And things are going to get ugly!  I can’t believe I never saw this coming.” he thought to himself as he sat in the chair rubbing his face.

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I apologize for making the story so long, but I felt it was necessary to really get the point across that it could happen at anytime, and the consequences would be far more reaching than just not having lights.  Most people don’t have more than 72 hours worth of food in their pantry if that much.  When the food trucks stop running and law enforcement runs out of gas, and stays home to take care of their families, things are going to get really ugly.  THen thin veneer of our society will fall away and the ugliness it conceals will pour out on an unsuspecting population.

So what can you do both now and after it happens?  Well, besides the normal Food water and shelter, you need to invest in getting a few solar panels and batteries as well as a good power inverter  for your home.  Now please don’t make the mistake I have seen a lot of people make.  They buy top grade solar panels and batteries and then take an old extension cord with a cheap ass converter and think they will be fine.  That is not how it works people.  There is no better investment as far as Power goes than to get good quality Solar panels and batteries with a good regulator as well as a good Power inverter.  Each one is a link in a chain, and if one fails, they all fail!  Also remember that “Two is one and one is none!”  I would also suggest that you immediately go out and salvage any solar panels and supplies you can from bill boards and Railroad crossings, but only once you are sure that the power is not coming back on.

Build and put up a working wind generator and or Hydro generator now if you can. Stock up on  batteries of all kinds and put them in your preps. In case you’re wondering as one reader did, NO, those little portable solar panels that you see advertised, will not generate enough power to run your home on.  You need as many Watts as you can afford to have.  It’s an investment that will pay off for sure.Take the time now to prepare for a situation where the power lines no longer work.

Well that is it for the Top eight man made scenarios that I feel could happen,  I hope you have enjoyed this series and if so, please comment below and maybe I will do more in the future. Until next time my friend, stay safe, stay strong and stay prepared.  God Bless America!

 

-Sarge-

Further reading: France warns of ‘permanent war’ in cyberspace