Hi all. We are 3 days from a hurricane that may, or may not, be really nasty.
The real bad scenario of security is when something goes wrong and you do not know what to do and it keeps getting worse. This was the case at Chernobyl and 3-Mile-Island. Interestingly all blamed on a control interface that was too complex for humans to handle.
I mean, part of the idea of security is to have secure systems that are very difficult to mess up.
So, this upcoming hurricane leaves us with something of an opportunity.
I am from Pennsylvania. The worse that can happen there is a bad snow storm every 3-4 years. Worse if you live in the mountains like I did. But 3/4 of the year it is not good for being out riding a motorcycle, so Suzi and I decided to move to tropical SW Florida, where one can ride 9/10 of the year. Its a plan!
OK, back to security. Friends would joke about hurricanes to me. I would laugh it off. I had come down in 2005 just in time to rent a Harley in Orlando and ride in the beginnings of Hurricane Charley in 05. Admittedly I hated it but I was single, unhappy, and willing to ride the edge.
But we figured, all in all, it would be best for us. I LOVE warm, and HOT? I don't LOVE it but i LIKE it.
The Gulf is really peaceful although ironically, I cannot get in it. More specifically I cannot get out of it, due to my deteriorated lower back. LOL
So security - You know a potential disaster, one documented many times. Is coming. You know the time frame. Your data is 'spaghetti models' which are inaccurate but overall a hell of a lot better than nothing and better as time diminishes.
The answer, given everything we know, is to evacuate. But that is not possible.
So first, stay informed. A few of you MAY have to evacuate. Have a plan for that, put important papers and such on the cloud. Have SSD backup. Take laptop with you. Unplug everything else!!! Take battery backups for phones. Have a special box with papers, IDs, ammo, whatever needed.
If you have a pet be sure to take care of them. Food, leash, muzzle, water bowl, etc. Most animals do really well for a few days. And have some idea where to go. Believe it it not there are a few instances where one in my position (Rotonda) will have the best chances by going south.
BTW - Treat this like a camping trip although you may be camping in your vehicle. If you have to find a safe place for the night. There will likely be others there. Do not waste gasoline. Share info from battery phones. Don't be a jerk, there will be a lot of scared people with families.
Point is - we now have the ability to create scenarios and evaluate them. You bet your arse the govt. is doing this. I would. Help each other! Cooperate. I do not want to evac but will if ordered to. But I will take my pets.
We are cleaning the house/yard and taking lots of pictures just in case needed for insurance. Murphys law says that the more we prepare for disaster the less likely disaster is to strike.
So to conclude, this is exactly what every security analyst should do. Run the scenarios. Assume different starting variables from worse to best. Know what you will do ahead of time. Revise your plan as data changes. A hurricane is a lovely example of a natural disaster that can absolutely decimate a companies IT infrastructure.
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