What if the lights go out? Or A.T.M. networks go down? I trust digital giants with vital information and they come under attack.
These are normal questions to have right now, as Russian tanks move through Ukraine and upend our expectations of global stability. We don't know what President Vladimir V. Putin will do if sanctions make him feel cornered, but Russia and those who might act on its behalf have already shown the ability to strike our digital infrastructure.
Let's be clear, there is no sign of immediate danger to you. If you can, consider helping people who have had to flee or live in Ukraine first.
National security officials say there have been no credible cyber threats against the United States. The United States has a lot of cybercapabilities that could make Mr. Putin wary of setting off a kind of mutually assured disruption.
The federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has urged organizations and individuals to be prepared for the possibility that the situation could change.
coronaviruses researchers and the health, pharmaceutical, defense, energy, video-game and aviation industries are at particular risk. Federal officials suspect that Russian nationals were behind some of the cyberattacks, such as the ones that caused a fuel shortage in the wake of theColonialPipeline shutdown last year and the technology meltdowns in hospitals in 2020.
The good news is that many of the precautions you should be taking are the same precautions you would take in the event of a natural disaster. The kinds of things you should be doing are the others.
Digital brinkmanship involving global powers may leave you feeling that there is only so much you can do. Good digital hygiene is a form of civil defense.
The hacking of Hillary Clinton's campaign began with a phish email requesting a password change. Even on personal email, you could be vulnerable if you work in a sensitive job.
Karen Walsh, who runs a marketing company that helps cybersecurity companies explain their capabilities in plain English, said that people reuse passwords between home and work.
Eric Gosh, an Air Force veteran who spent time shielding sensitive technology from Russia, now runs a Chicago technology consulting firm. When strange emails arrive, he reminds clients to ask themselves three questions, one of which is "Is it from someone I know?" Is it what I was expecting? Is it in the format I was expecting?
Pick up the phone and call if the answer is no.
Ms. Walsh recommends a 3-2-1 plan for backups that includes three copies of the data in two different formats and one in a cloud.
It's wise to keep multiple copies of your records if you're going through a sensitive medical procedure right now. Your health care provider might have them, but you can ask for and keep your own copy in the cloud as well as on a thumb drive or a paper folder.
There is more. Automatic updates can be enabled to update the operating systems on your devices. Just in case, write down street addresses and phone numbers.
Phil Venables, chief information security officer for the cloud, offered some reassurance this week.
He said of his team that they exhibit a healthy paranoia. It would be difficult to wipe the cloud clean of everything because of the massive replication and distribution in its systems.
There's a good chance that it wouldn't be the goal.
The power and communications infrastructure that allows technology to function isn't something that people can defend. Here, any preparations for a lights-out aftermath are hopefully those that you have already made in case weather or any unforeseen disruption upends your life.
If you can afford it, you can find backup generators, portable power stations, solar-powered sources for small devices, candles and matches, and fresh batteries for every person in the house. It is always a good idea to not let your car sit at half-empty or below.
If you remember where you put it, setting aside a small pile of emergency cash is a good idea. If you don't have an obvious place to keep it, it could easily slip your mind. It's in a little-used shoe that could end up at Goodwill if you don't remember to set a quarterly calendar reminder.
David N. Tente, an executive at the industry association for people who concern themselves with A.T.M.s reminded me this week that there is no single A.T.M. network since some have independent operators while banks control others.
The basic precautions make sense in the face of a big snowstorm. A few jugs of water is a good idea. Mr. Gosh, an Air Force veteran and technology consultant, said that most people already have enough nonperishable food around that they could feed a family in a pinch for at least a couple of days, a reasonable amount of time for the proper authorities to sort out digital disruptions. He keeps his freezer full of pho.
My conversation with him this week was calm. He wasn't going to put items from prepper.com on his shelves.
It's easier to be calm if you've prepared. This isn't a new idea.
Take care of one another if something unexpected happens. He tells clients to print out the addresses of colleagues and other people they might not see often enough to remember.
He said to check on them if they don't show up for a few days.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
