"The Drums of Cyberwar"
If the U.S. were to experience a major attack on its critical infrastructure, there could be major consequences. Recent studies have shown that a cyberattack on critical infrastructure has the potential to harm public health and significantly reduce safety. According to a study conducted by Lloyd's of London and the Center for Risk Studies at the University of Cambridge, if the electric grid in fifteen states and Washington D.C. were to be disabled by hackers, more than 90 million people would lose electricity. An incident like this would result in the loss of life, decline in trade, disruption of water supplies, and damage of transport networks. The economy would also take a massive hit in that a cyberattack of such magnitude could cost $243 billion to $1 trillion in damages. This article continues to discuss studies on the potential consequences of cyberattacks against critical infrastructure.