Given the cyber attack on South Korea this week, have you taken a moment to imagine how you'd call your spouse if your phone was dead? Do you even know their number? How you would access your bank if the internet was down? What's your password? How to call your mortgage company without using the internet?

Have you even tried to locate someone's phone number without using the internet? What did you do with the last delivery of those "useless" white pages? Straight to recycling?

http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2013/0322/New-clue-in-South-Korea-cyberattack-reveals-link-to-Chinese-criminals

If the attack turns out to be as bad as you are hinting, the mortgage company can wait. In a truly successful attack, your mortgage company might not know you exist anymore. Win!

Which brings up a better point, why would you want to call them? To reconstruct your cage? If you contact your bank or mortgage company you might find yourself alone at the top of the accounts receivable list if your paycheck is impacted by the chaos. Nice one.

You would be better off worrying about your supplies of food and utilities. Put yourself first, not the interests of some lender.

To find your wife, you can always plan a meeting place for emergencies. Even plan a backup location if you are really twitchy.

Wow. You're jumping to a nuclear scenario? A cyber attack is a fairly non-invasive but hugely invasive, non-destructive but hugely destructive attack that makes your so-convenient daily life inconvenient as hell. THAT is what will happen, and soon.

Priority One Wrote:
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> If the attack turns out to be as bad as you are
> hinting, the mortgage company can wait. In a truly
> successful attack, your mortgage company might not
> know you exist anymore. Win!
>
> Which brings up a better point, why would you want
> to call them? To reconstruct your cage? If you
> contact your bank or mortgage company you might
> find yourself alone at the top of the accounts
> receivable list if your paycheck is impacted by
> the chaos. Nice one.
>
> You would be better off worrying about your
> supplies of food and utilities. Put yourself
> first, not the interests of some lender.
>
> To find your wife, you can always plan a meeting
> place for emergencies. Even plan a backup location
> if you are really twitchy.


Unfortunately you are very, very wrong. Banks and credit card companies are probably the most well-prepared industry in the world for a cyber or even nuclear attack. Even if a disaster or attack shuts down bank branches offices, post offices, gas stations, and ATMs, your credit card balance and mortgage will be dutifully maintained and calculated -- with late fees continuing to pile up.

If complain that there is no Internet for on-line access and the bank has no open branches, they "might" cut you some slack and reduce the late fees. Though the onus is on the consumer to ask as usual.

Cyber OP Wrote:
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> Wow. You're jumping to a nuclear scenario? A cyber
> attack is a fairly non-invasive but hugely
> invasive, non-destructive but hugely destructive
> attack that makes your so-convenient daily life
> inconvenient as hell. THAT is what will happen,
> and soon.


Doesn't sound nuclear. Sounds SCADA.

nope Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Priority One Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > If the attack turns out to be as bad as you are
> > hinting, the mortgage company can wait. In a
> truly
> > successful attack, your mortgage company might
> not
> > know you exist anymore. Win!
> >
> > Which brings up a better point, why would you
> want
> > to call them? To reconstruct your cage? If you
> > contact your bank or mortgage company you might
> > find yourself alone at the top of the accounts
> > receivable list if your paycheck is impacted by
> > the chaos. Nice one.
> >
> > You would be better off worrying about your
> > supplies of food and utilities. Put yourself
> > first, not the interests of some lender.
> >
> > To find your wife, you can always plan a
> meeting
> > place for emergencies. Even plan a backup
> location
> > if you are really twitchy.
>
>
> Unfortunately you are very, very wrong. Banks and
> credit card companies are probably the most
> well-prepared industry in the world for a cyber or
> even nuclear attack. Even if a disaster or attack
> shuts down bank branches offices, post offices,
> gas stations, and ATMs, your credit card balance
> and mortgage will be dutifully maintained and
> calculated -- with late fees continuing to pile
> up.
>
> If complain that there is no Internet for on-line
> access and the bank has no open branches, they
> "might" cut you some slack and reduce the late
> fees. Though the onus is on the consumer to ask
> as usual.


That's what they want people to think.

Human beings have been on earth for 60,000 years while electronics for personal and business use less than thirty.
Just make sure you have plenty of grass and libations for the coming months or decades. Might want to get reacquainted with the neighbors.
If you have a life, it probably will continue and if you don't......
make one.

I've worked on these issues with some of the larger financial institutions. Smaller banks might be in question, but Visa, American Express, and the major mortgage lenders are most certainly prepared to keep track of who owes them money.

You might be confusing "what they want people to think" about the safety of consumer deposits.

Where's your info stored? Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Given the cyber attack on South Korea this week,
> have you taken a moment to imagine how you'd call
> your spouse if your phone was dead? Do you even
> know their number? How you would access your bank
> if the internet was down? What's your password?
> How to call your mortgage company without using
> the internet?