Humanity is afraid of nuclear attacks. The US and Russia began to develop new nuclear weapons, and Iran and North Korea tested missiles again. But there are other threats to humanity – not so visible – cyber-attacks.
Cyber-attacks can theoretically be matched by weapons of mass destruction. Even worse is that they are inconspicuous and thus harder to detect.
Attacks Worldwide
At the beginning of 2016, hackers took control of the US drinking water treatment plant and changed the chemical compound used to purify the water. If they scored a goal, it could cause US poisoning or water shortages.
A milder attack took place in Ukraine in 2016 and 2017, when hackers shut down major sections of the power grid. It was considered a message by the officials.
United Kingdom’s electricity system access was attacked in 2018.
Saudi Arabian petrochemical plants faced a hacker attack in August 2017. Cybercriminals tried to blow up the device.
During 2017, hackers closed monitoring systems for oil and gas pipelines in the US. This caused logistical problems in particular.
According to the FBI, hackers are even interested in nuclear facilities. A cyber-attack could cause a disaster similar to the Chernobyl tragedy.
Precaution
It should be noted that international protection against nuclear conflicts does not exist in cyber-attacks.
Cyber-attacks can target an individual’s laptop or phone. On a larger scale, they can attack banks, hotels or government agencies.
In addition, attacks can be directed to sources of food, water, energy or gas. What’s more, hackers can handle traffic accidents by damaging traffic lights. This will cause mass injury or even death on the road.
There is no one hundred percent protection against cyber-crime. However, efforts are needed to reduce cyber-attacks. Governments, businesses and regular people must secure their systems against the access of uninvited guests.
Source: https://www.livescience.com/cyberattacks-could-kill-more-than-nuclear-attacks.html
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