Curious if anyone is doing anything special personally to prepare for and/or protect against a cyber attack?
What as individuals should be doing (if anything) to protect our personal computer files and financial interests? Does anyone have advice?
I know how to prepare for a possible loss of electricity or water, and to have some cash on hand, but my question is more specifically about what we should be doing to protect our own computers, phones, etc. and whether we should be worried about our personal electronic files and access to our online bill paying accounts and finances. I have a feeling this is more than just beefing up our passwords, haha.
I admit to relying a lot on my google calendar for reminders daily and my contacts to store phone numbers for everyone but close loved ones. I don't currently keep a paper calendar, or address book, but I guess I should create a paper back up copy, if not at least screen shots to keep on my computer, assuming I can access it.
Am I being a worry wart? Is anyone else wondering what we should be doing, from a personal standpoint, to protect our way of life from being inconvenienced too much from a cyber attack? I would think that our government might offer some suggestions, but I haven't seen any tips on how to prepare, just that we should prepare. But how?
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8 comments
Feel free to reply to any comment by clicking the "Reply" button.Your chances of losing Internet or WiFi are probably better than having your computer hacked if you follow standard safety procedure (don’t download anything from unverified sources, don’t open links you didn’t ask for or from a verified source). Beyond that, contact lists and I think calendars, certainly photos are only lost if your hard drive gets fried. That shouldn’t happen if you take the steps above. A large sun spot could blow out the Internet.
Barnie2years
Level 8
Mar 22, 2022
2
I'm not so concerned about losing files on my computer, those can be backed up, but yes, it's what should we be doing to make life easier in the event that our internet, wifi, power, etc., gets interrupted. I'm sure I'm not the only person who has most things dangling in cyberspace somewhere in a cloud with pretty heavy reliance on everything working smoothly in that regard. I don't even have a paper calendar at this point, having transferred it all to google calendar at the instistance of my daughter, and she was right, it IS easier, but what to do if that disappears... Go back to basics I guess.
@Julie808 calendars you can print out as far ahead as you usually schedule, then just pencil in changes or we events and reprint every so often if the changes get out of hand. Same with your contact list, it should be printable, just update from time to time. I do this with my passwords. I have a database file with all my passwords. Printed out it fills six spreadsheet style pages. As I add passwords, or change them, I write them in. Then every so often I go in and make the changes on the database and reprint the entire booklet.
@Julie808 and not to sound flip, but if the Internet goes down at any point for an extended period, we are all screwed, since pretty much everything, from electric and water, to banking and transportation are almost completely dependent on the Internet to function. Your calendar will be the least of your problems.
Always keep plenty of cash handy.
Guns and ammo help incase shit goes really downhill and you need critters for dinner.
CourtJester
Level 7
Mar 22, 2022
2
Well, I'd have better luck with a fishing pole or better yet some beer to offer the fishermen I can see out my window. Living on an island that is basically a garden surrounded by an aquarium, going hungry isn't too much of a concern for me.
But yes, cash, emergency food and supplies are always stored in my home, due to frequent warnings of natural disasters such as hurricanes, tsunamis and even a nuclear missile threat a few years ago. Thanks for the reminder that I should restock my emergency stash of food though, as I eat it up periodically since it expires quickly. That's something I for sure can do this week. 
@Julie808 surround by woods here. More critters than fish.
About cyber attacks, unless you are sitting on millions or are an important personality... you don't need to do anything beyond..
~ Be vigilant about what email, text links you click, what you download from the internet etc
~ Have a good virus protection software on your computer. The best software are not paid ones. The "Spybot Search and Destroy" free version is plenty of protection. Clean your registry once a week
~ Have strong, non guessable, separate passwords for all external sites and you use good, free password vaults like KeyPass or PasswordSafe. Most hacking attacks will be on institutions. We common individuals don't have much to offer to them
St-Sinner
Level 9
Mar 22, 2022
2
What does “Clean your registry once a week” mean?
It is Windows Registry of various software installed including Windows components.
Virus software cleans entries in computer registry often inserted by viruses or entries left over after not properly uninstalling applications. These entries can produce errors or prevent you from installing newer versions of applications.
More here.... [en.m.wikipedia.org]
Most likely, any cyber attack by Russia will be minor as we do have the power to retaliate and do more damage. Beau of the 5th column did a good video on this and suggested keeping extra cash, and a full gas tank. Again, whatever attacks occur most likely won't be aimed at infrastructure for fear of retaliation.
Beowulfsfriend
Level 9
Mar 22, 2022
4
Cyber attacks are inevitable. Two questions need to be considered: did any attack penetrate, and what was the fallout from any penetration.
Fallout again falls into two parts: what losses occurred (financial, reputational, interference with your daily activities) and how can those losses be managed. It might pay to plan in advance how to manage such losses. See @darren316's comment in this regard.
In terms of loss of data that is personally important to me, I use a robust backup strategy. I have three external USB drives that I rotate on a daily basis for files that change often. For images I have other USB drives that I update at need.
Finally, you might want to prepare yourself mentally. Recognise that there is always risk, and if the risk eventuates know that you have already done all that you can to minimise the impact.
anglophone
Level 9
Mar 22, 2022
3
The electric co-op here is very prepared
bobwjr
Level 10
Mar 22, 2022
3
You obviously don't live in Texas. 
@Beowulfsfriend Yup Delaware
@bobwjr I used to drink in Newark. By country roads, we could get there in about 45 minutes or so. I was in Southern Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
@Beowulfsfriend And Biden's second home is 9 miles from me
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