The current secretary of homeland security suggests keeping a battery-powered radio. "It's not a question of if," says Centcom Commander General Lloyd Austin, "it's a question of when."Īnd yet, as Koppel makes clear, the federal government, while well prepared for natural disasters, has no plan for the aftermath of an attack on the power grid.
And a cybersecurity advisor to President Obama believes that independent actors - from "hacktivists" to terrorists - have the capability as well. In fact, as a former chief scientist of the NSA reveals, China and Russia have already penetrated the grid. Several nations hostile to the United States could launch such an assault at any time. A well-designed attack on just one of the nation's three electric power grids could cripple much of our infrastructure - and in the age of cyberwarfare, a laptop has become the only necessary weapon. Banks no longer function, looting is widespread, and law and order are being tested as never before.
For those without access to generators, there is no running water, no sewage, no refrigeration or light. Tens of millions of people over several states are affected. Imagine a blackout lasting not days but weeks or months. Copeland has been the opening act for artists such as Ray Charles, Natalie Cole, Aretha Franklin and Ringo Starr.In this tour de force of investigative reporting, Ted Koppel reveals that a major cyberattack on America's power grid is not only possible but likely, that it would be devastating, and that the United States is shockingly unprepared. He lives with his wife in Maryland.īrian Copeland is an American actor, comedian, radio talk show host, playwright and author based in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is the author, with Marvin Kalb, of In the National Interest. Before creating Nightline, he was a foreign, domestic, and war correspondent and bureau chief for ABC, and its chief diplomatic correspondent. He has won every significant television award, including thirty-two Emmys, six Peabodys, nine Overseas Press Club awards, two George Polk Awards, and two Sigma Delta Chi Awards. Ted Koppel, a thirty-seven-year veteran of ABC News, has been anchor of Nightline since March 1980. However the critical question is how will ordinary civilians survive? With urgency and authority, Lights Out: A Cyberattack, A Nation Unprepared, Surviving the Aftermath examines a threat unique to our time and evaluates potential ways to prepare for a catastrophe that is all but inevitable. In the absence of a government plan, some individuals and communities have taken matters into their own hands. As Koppel makes clear, the federal government, while well prepared for natural disasters, has no plan for the aftermath of an attack on the power grid. In fact, as a former chief scientist of the NSA reveals, China and Russia have already penetrated the grid and a cybersecurity advisor to President Obama believes that independent actors from hacktivists to terrorists have the capability as well. A well-designed attack on just one of the nation's three electric power grids could cripple much of our infrastructure and in the age of cyberwarfare, a laptop has become the only necessary weapon. In this tour de force of investigative reporting, Ted Koppel reveals that a major cyberattack on America's power grid is not only possible but likely and that the United States is shockingly unprepared. Please call (415) 927-0960 x 1 to inquire about ticket availability. Please note: online ticket sales are now closed. Angelico Hall, Dominican University of CA