Just one incident to remind us of just how vulnerable we really are

[DFW]

I spoke to my wife in Germany earlier today, around lunchtime here in Dallas. Shortly after that, I just figured there was heavy traffic in the circuits to my area of Germany when I tried to call again, but then I couldn't get through at all. No phone, no cell phone, no internet. I finally saw someone (outside Germany) published a Telekom map of a nearly total telecommunications breakdown for nearly all of Germany. Some people in neighboring countries even said they had no TV either.

Germany is not exactly a technological backwater. If their whole telecommunications network is THAT vulnerable to a shutdown, whether due to an accidental breakdown or a massive hack, then probably so is ours. Guam, schwam, people. This was scary.

I hope we all find out in the morning what caused it. I won't find overly reassuring to hear that it was caused by a squirrel instead of Putin's hackers. Vulnerable is still vulnerable.

[Angry Dragon]

1. Just one small step towards The End Times

[DFW]

3. I hope things are up again by the end of the week at the latest

If not. I'll have to fly to Amsterdam, take a train to the German border, and hitch a ride.

[marylandblue]

2. Yes, we are that vulnerable and have been for years

In 2003, 55 million people in the US and Canada lost power, when a software bug incorrectly rerouted power after a high voltage wire hit a tree.

[DFW]

4. And that was 14 years ago.

Now it probably would have affected 125 million people.

[lapfog_1]

5. When the Arpanet was first envisioned

and started by a federal government program, the idea was to create a messaging system that would be invulnerable to regional outages (possibly caused by nuclear strikes).

They also figured that with SO many computer manufacturers and Operating Systems that no one "bug" or virus would infiltrate a significant portion of the network.

They never imagined the global hegemony of very few companies (Intel/Microsoft/Apple-"Linux&quot would open up the world (or a given country) to massive outages due to bugs or intentional viruses.

OTOH, one science fiction writer (John Brunner) did envision our current reality in "Shockwave Rider" published in 1975.

Oops.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

6. Wow, my dear DFW.........how scary for you and your wife, not to mention everyone else.

And we're so dependent on all those electronic connections...

When they fail, we are truly isolated.



Hope all is well otherwise with you both!

[DFW]

8. I'm OK, I assume she is, too, thanks!

I saw an update from Germany--currently 48% internet outage, 25% to 30% phones and cell phones, presumably in heavily populated areas, and our part of the Rheinland is the most densely populated part of Germany. Maybe some minor providers weren't affected? I'll find out in the morning--I hope!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

10. I hope you find out too, and that all is well!

[potone]

7. It was a cat.

Count on it!

[DFW]

9. Well, at this point

I won't DIScount it....