This is the DUMBEST thing about high tech, btw... That something as simple as slaughter houses and shipping can be shut off by computer glitches is idiotic. There should be a paper system on standby at all times. For Pete's sake, all the way up to the last generation no one had a damn computer at all.
It ain't that hard.
And likewise, ALL local systems should be tied to a central local up, and to local banking, so that if the net crashes, local areas could still function. Good Lord Almighty... The internet goes down and everybody just has to go on home. Nothing we can do.
It is ridiculous.
Yes, it is absolutely ridiculous and no it isn't that hard to do things manually but it takes people with brains and some extra manpower!
My cardiologist's office was hacked. Their phone lines and computers have been down off and going on 4 weeks. I finally got through one day one the phone and was able to schedule an appointment today. Gee whiz. Guess what they are having to do? First of all, all appointments are manually entered (old style) into a ledger. Every patient needs to fill out a patient questionnaire depending on if they are new or existing, and they are manually making a list of future appointments. Everything is being done manually. I said to the doc that I knew it was just a matter of time before going paperless and putting everything on computers was going to one day be a problem; she responded, we now wish we had paper backups and files. I brought in paper copies of my last couple of appointments; copies were made and put in my file. Unfortunately, those that need any kind of emergency help while they are out of town, won't be able to access their cardio records (local hospitals and doctors still have some records). It can truly be a life or death situation. I needed a prescription refilled; because they have no working phone or fax lines, I was handed a hand written prescription to take to the pharmacy, instead of it being done by computer.
Yes, the convenience factor is there, it was cheaper to cut back on administrative personnel, but they've been trying to piece their business back together for over a month ... how much cheaper is it really? I imagine having IT people in for the past month has cost them an absolute fortune and the problems obviously aren't resolved.
If it can happen to this medical office it can happen to any of them -- so much for all hospital and doctors being able to access all your medical records. Once their computers are up and running they may be able to transfer records again -- but what's to keep other offices/hospital records from being hacked??
We have multiple hospitals in the area but they are all under one umbrella. It's just a matter of time before they're all hacked. I'm sure they're scrambling to safeguard the 'system'.
So .. . for all those who keep all their files on their computers, you really need to print everything out so you have a paper back up; bank statements, brokerage statements, deeds, mortgages, medical records, utility records, social security applications, etc. Otherwise, you may be looking at having no record of anything you own.
Cryptocurrency? Think again. Poof. Gone in a flash!
