Let’s face it, biological attacks are the things nightmares are made of. Hollywood has been having a field day coming out with movies based on this vulnerability, ranging from campy zombie movies to the much more scientifically accurate Contagion. Biological attacks are the intentional release of bacteria, viruses, or toxins to disrupt society or kill people. The scale of an attack can range from a single person to putting virtually everyone in the world at risk. Biological weapons are...

RDDs and REDs are similar enough to categorize together, but are very different threats. RDD stands for Radiological Dispersal Device. These are usually a “dirty bomb”, or a conventional explosive combined with radioactive material. They are a shock and awe type weapon with lasting repercussions and damage. The perpetrators would usually claim responsibility for an RDD “dirty bomb”. RED stands for Radiological Emitting Device. These are usually unshielded...

Though rare, chemical attacks can be deadly and target large areas. There are many different types of chemical weapons, ranging from common riot control tear gas to the deadly nerve agent Vx. All of these are prohibited for use in warfare due to the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) that the majority of countries in the world have ratified. Many countries that sponsor terrorist states have not ratified this treaty, however. Chemical weapons can be broken down into several...

A conventional attack, for our risk analysis purposes, is considered a state-sponsored attack on the American homefront. In most cases this would be a declaration of war using conventional weapons (instead of a nuclear war). Obviously we have had this occur in the past many times, with the last being Pearl Harbor in World War II. We also factored in the popular conspiracy theory of the government turning on its people and attacking them. While highly unlikely in any event, it...

Two nuclear attacks have ever occurred throughout history, and both were bombs dropped by the U.S. to end World War II. While these weapons of mass destruction have been depicted as the ultimate world destroyers in fiction novels and movies, the apparent risk is not as high as it may seem at first. Severity of a Nuclear Attack A nuclear attack does have a range of severity it could fall within- but all of them are pretty severe. Isolated nuclear attacks would be highly...

An electromagnetic pulse is a surge of electromagnetic energy that can disrupt and permanently damage electronics. For the purposes of conducting our risk analysis, we separated the causes of electromagnetic pulses into two categories, and focus on one in this section. The cause we do not cover in this section is the Coronal Mass Ejection (CME), which we cover under our TrueRisk evaluation for space weather. We will be focusing on nuclear-caused EMPs, also known as NEMPs (Nuclear...

Bombings and mass shootings have quickly become a terrorist favorite, and it is easy to see why. The seemingly unpredictable acts are on the front page of every news section and covered extensively by the media. Graphic depictions of violence are prevalent in our internet-connected age, and these atrocities are burned into our collective memories. Live video feeds and social media have only amplified the message the shooters and bombers are trying to send. These events strike fear into...

Whether it is simple online credit card fraud or a DDOS attack taking down a government system, cyber-attacks are quietly gaining in frequency and impact. The power of the keyboard is only growing as we store more and more private data in computer databases. Our interconnected society is allowing criminals next door or across the world to steal your identity and steal from unsuspecting victims. Even large businesses are not above this risk, with several high-profile hackings, and many...

Being a victim of a home invasion can be one of the worst experiences of your life. It will likely leave you rattled, questioning your priorities and the safety of yourself and your family. Many victims often have trust issues, relationship problems, and often seek counseling after a break-in. While it is easy to learn lessons after an incident, this is the one area where prevention does not really take that much time, money, or know-how. Fortifying your home, being able to protect...