3: Cyberwar

­Imagine a war fought completely by computer. No, we're not talking about a scene out of the movie WarGames, we're talking an all-out attack on a nation's electronic infrastructure. What's that, you may ask? Those are the systems that control emergency response services, banks and other electronic commerce, the systems that run the electrical grid, water and fuel pipeline controls, communications networks, and oh, yeah: defense weaponry. A well-executed attack could cause serious disruption and open the populace up to physical threats.

Attacks like these have already been launched against some countries. Russians attacked Georgia with denial-of-service attacks. Hackers have taken on the Pentagon, and some suspect terrorist organizations of training their operatives to launch computer assaults. So how do you defend against a cyberattack? Educating people about computer viruses and Trojan horses will help, and using updated antivirus software is also important. You can find out more by reading Is cyberwar coming?

Cyberattacks might actually be useful tools against machines who have learned to think for themselves and chosen to eliminate humanity. It's the stuff of science fiction, but why do some people believe this could happen? Learn more by reading the next page.