Putin's hackers take down Bruce County internet

No, as I matter of fact I don't have any "proof," but we live in the post-proof era, don't we?

I'm pretty certain with a high degree of confidence that it was probably Russians, acting on the direct orders of you-know-who. Three of my neighbours and a guy I ran into at the liquor store think I might be right. That's pretty much a consensus, wouldn't you agree?

Me and the Farm Manager and the hounds drove into town this morning, blissfully unaware of this attack on our freedoms. We were looking forward to breakfast. Had to stop at the bank first, and that's where we ran into the first inkling of trouble. As I'm strolling towards the ATM, debit card in hand, a bank employee intercepts me.

I'm sorry sir, the ATM is down.

Oh, guess I have to stand in line at the counter.

No, I'm sorry, the whole system is down. We can't give you your money.

Bummer!

We go to The Korean's. His ATM is down too, and so is his debit machine. We don't have enough cash between us to buy our Globe and Mail!

We head to the Topnotch. Been a while since we had breakfast without the paper. Years... maybe we'll have to talk or something.

Get to the Topnotch. Guess what?

Yup! Nothing works there either.

By now we're a little frazzled. The Farm Manager figures we should try the liquor store. Surely they've got a bullet-proof system.

Damn! Out of luck again!

Grasping at straws I figure let's try Foodland.

The FM goes in and comes out a minute later waving a fistful of twenties.

Phew!

I run in and stock up on cash too. That machine ain't gonna be spitting out cash for long once folks realize it's the only working ATM in town.

After all that, there wasn't much worth reading in the Globe, the FM's BLT came drowned in mayo instead of with mayo on the side, which always makes her grumpy, and both dogs shit in the park where we take them for their traditional after-breakfast feast of left-overs...

So all in all it was not a successful trip into town, but it did hold a lesson. We have no idea how dependant we have become on this invisible infrastructure until we lose it for a couple of hours.

What would happen if there were a real cyber-attack and it was gone for a month?