© NASA/B. Griswold A “digital pandemic” could threaten both satellites and life support systems on Earth. The UN warns of the possibility of “digital systems failure” Peace and Security
Wi-Fi failure can be annoying, but what happens when everything that powers the modern digital world suddenly stops working, from satellites to life support systems in hospitals?
This is precisely the scenario the UN is trying to avoid by calling on member states to act together to prevent the cascading effects of the so-called “digital pandemic.”
The risks are very real – and have already been observed both on Earth and in space. In particular, in 2012, a powerful solar storm narrowly missed the Earth, which could lead to the shutdown of power grids and communications systems on entire continents. And this can happen simultaneously,” warned the head of the International Telecommunication Union, Doreen Bogdan-Martin.In 1859, a massive solar storm—the so-called “Carrington Event”—knocked out telegraph systems around the world, causing equipment to spark and communications to be disrupted—similar to the 19th-century Internet blackouts. United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction.
However, risks are no longer limited to space-related phenomena. Extreme heat, storms and other climate extremes are increasingly damaging digital infrastructure, from power grids to data cables.
With modern societies critically dependent on digital technologies, the impact of such disruptions can be global, rapid and significantly more severe. destructive.
Threat from space and on Earth
An additional danger is posed by the rapid growth in the volume of space debris, which is already threatening satellite launches and may actually block access to space. This will threaten navigation, financial systems and even weather forecasting, the UN warns.
At the same time, extreme weather events, intensified by climate change, are already leading to the destruction of digital infrastructure and turning natural disasters into humanitarian crises.
Tsepnaya reaction
Digital failures rarely remain local and, as a rule, spread along the chain. According to the report, up to 89 percent of such disruptions caused by natural events are caused by secondary effects rather than the original event.
“The number of people ultimately affected by such disruptions may be ten times greater than those initially affected,” the authors note. one system can quickly lead to a chain reaction. “If the power goes out, most telecom towers have a power reserve of about nine hours. After this, the connection is lost. And without connectivity, ATMs don’t work and people lose access to their funds,” he said. disruptions.
“Now is the time to be intentional about preparing for critical digital risks,” said Bogdan-Martin.
The report’s authors identify six priority areas, including improving risk assessment, strengthening international standards, promoting cross-sector collaboration and making societies more resilient to failures.
It also highlights the need for increased global cooperation and better use of early warning systems.
“This report makes the threat very clear and real. Digital disaster is not a question of “if”, but a question of “when,” emphasized Kishore.