As you know, I like to live on the edge of paranoia, and I fuel that by reading as many apocalypse books I can get my hands on. Thanks to Amazon’s self published authors, that hasn’t been a problem lately. One book in particular that I read took things in a different direction – that of a cyber attack. Which is wonderful because I believe I’m just about done reading about a zombie apocalypse. Hah! Who am I kidding? Keep ‘em coming!

Anyway, it was a nice breather from the zombies but equally, if not scarier than actual zombies because now you have to deal with real live, thinking (I use this word loosely) human beings and you have to guess their intentions. At least with zombies, you know what their goal is. To eat you. With humans, who knows! We’re crazy.

Before we proceed, I’ve been assured that it would be rather difficult for such an attack to happen (notwithstanding the actual Stuxnet virus found in Iran) so we’re speaking in hypotheticals (is that a word?) here.

Let’s just say somehow, some hacker managed to deploy some nasty malware through a USB and that managed to miraculously spread throughout every vital service and bring down the world. Or let’s say… the United States. Or Manhattan to be specific (the story line in the book). Let’s just say this has happened, what to expect?

Say Goodbye to Electricity

Right now, I’m writing this in a co-working space because the electricity in my flat is out. It’ll only be out for a couple of hours and yet I am incensed. The fridge, heat, Internet, everything that uses electricity it unusable. Now imagine that for uhm… ever. You’d better get used to climbing the stairs too!

No Internet

This means you can’t surf porn. Or go online to check Twitter to see what’s happening in the world. You can’t order anything, you can’t update your blog. And you certainly can’t update your facebook!

No buying anything from the Grocer

Anything that runs on computers, networks and other computer type words will stop working. So if you’re in line at Wholefoods, you’ll be in line for a long time because they can’t scan you out.

Forget flying anywhere

Airports will shut down because there will be no electricity. In fact you won’t even be able to rent a car or buy a bus ticket. Unless they’re issuing tickets by hand.

Water will probably shut down too

Unless you live in a place that has it’s own water tank – and probably not many places in Manhattan have that, then you better start saving up rain water, because your pipes will soon dry up!

Ok, I’m painting a rather bleak picture here. At least we know that it can’t really happen, right? If this doesn’t get you all paranoid, then I’m sure reading about being ready for the Zombie Apocalypse will! What do you think will? Can a cyber storm hit us? Or is this just a product of an overactive imagination? Let me know in the comments!