--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: We remain largely oblivious to the…" description: "\"“We remain largely oblivious to the potential catastrophe of a well-targeted cyberattack.”\" — Ted Koppel" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/ted-koppel-3111_hacker_we-remain-largely-oblivious-to-the-poten_234653.png" --- # We remain largely oblivious to the potential catastrophe… ![“We remain largely oblivious to the potential catastrophe of a well-targeted cyberattack.” quote by Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/ted-koppel-3111_hacker_we-remain-largely-oblivious-to-the-poten_234653.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/ted-koppel-3111_hacker_we-remain-largely-oblivious-to-the-poten_234653.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/ted-koppel-3111_hacker_we-remain-largely-oblivious-to-the-poten_234653.png) > ““We remain largely oblivious to the potential catastrophe of a well-targeted cyberattack.”” [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. We often ignore the severe risk of a precise cyber attack that could cause massive damage. **In simple terms:** Ignore cyber threats at your peril. Key Takeaway Take cyber threats seriously. Themes security risk technology Mood cautious concerned Type warning informative When to use this quote - government policy - corporate risk management - public awareness Key Concepts cybersecurity vulnerability global stability Questions to Reflect On - What steps can you take to reduce cyber risk? - How can societies prepare for targeted attacks? A Different Perspective Mitigation requires resources and coordination. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hacker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hacker/) ## Related quotes > [“On a slightly unconnected note, I am sorry to report that babies, as a collective species, are largely oblivious to my charms.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amruta-patil/on-a-slightly-unconnected-note-i-am-sorry-to-report-that-babies-as-a/) [Amruta Patil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amruta-patil/) > [“In early March 2015 the Government Accountability Office issued a report warning that the air traffic control system is vulnerable to cyberattack.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/in-early-march-2015-the-government-accountability-office-issued-a/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“Would-be hackers, operating on what is sometimes referred to as the “Sneakernet,” can introduce their malware, their viral programs, by way of an employee’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/would-be-hackers-operating-on-what-is-sometimes-referred-to-as-the/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“Russia, China, and Iran, among others, continue on an almost daily basis to demonstrate a range of cyber capabilities in espionage, denial-of-service attacks, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/russia-china-and-iran-among-others-continue-on-an-almost-daily-basis/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“James Woolsey argued that protection of the national electric grid against an EMP attack is possible, that it is not prohibitively expensive, and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/james-woolsey-argued-that-protection-of-the-national-electric-grid/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“SCADA systems were, for the most part, designed and installed before the notion of cyberattacks had even occurred to anyone. The Internet itself was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/scada-systems-were-for-the-most-part-designed-and-installed-before/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“Countries such as Iran and North Korea (of which more in the next chapter) cannot hope to match the United States in their ability…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/countries-such-as-iran-and-north-korea-of-which-more-in-the-next/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“The reconnaissance required to understand the system sufficiently to compromise it can take years, challenging the skills of even the most cyber-competent nation-states. We’ll…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/the-reconnaissance-required-to-understand-the-system-sufficiently-to/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [Well, Keith Alexander, the former director of the NSA wants to say every company in the United States falls under one of two categories,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/well-keith-alexander-the-former-director-of-the-nsa-wants-to-say/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“two-thirds of companies across a spectrum of industries didn’t realize they had been breached until someone outside the company informed them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/two-thirds-of-companies-across-a-spectrum-of-industries-didn-t/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“He is convinced that China and Russia have already penetrated the U.S. power grid, both for purposes of reconnaissance and, very likely, in order…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/he-is-convinced-that-china-and-russia-have-already-penetrated-the-u-s/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“With adversaries’ malware in the National Grid, the nation has little or no chance of withstanding a major cyberattack on the North American electrical…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/with-adversaries-malware-in-the-national-grid-the-nation-has-little/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“it took on average 279 days before companies that had been breached came to realize it or were told by someone else. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/it-took-on-average-279-days-before-companies-that-had-been-breached/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“What about independent actors using cyberattacks to knock out one of our power grids? Are we at that point yet? “Simple answer,” said Schmidt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/what-about-independent-actors-using-cyberattacks-to-knock-out-one-of/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“the extreme vulnerability of SCADA systems to cyber sabotage was first demonstrated, and dramatically so, during the administration of George W. Bush.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/the-extreme-vulnerability-of-scada-systems-to-cyber-sabotage-was/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) ## More by Ted Koppel > [“Nobody’s in charge there, nobody has responsibility, nor can anybody require that they do work.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/nobody-s-in-charge-there-nobody-has-responsibility-nor-can-anybody/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [Would anyone else like to say anything nice about women?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/would-anyone-else-like-to-say-anything-nice-about-women/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“smaller companies with lean profit margins are simply not inclined to spend a great deal on cybersecurity.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/smaller-companies-with-lean-profit-margins-are-simply-not-inclined-to/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“has to be connected to the company’s billing department, which in turn needs to be connected to whatever department actually conveys electricity to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/has-to-be-connected-to-the-company-s-billing-department-which-in-turn/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“I think that within six months, if things weren’t straightened out adequately to have something besides anarchy, somebody’s going to show up on your…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/i-think-that-within-six-months-if-things-weren-t-straightened-out/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“the extreme vulnerability of SCADA systems to cyber sabotage was first demonstrated, and dramatically so, during the administration of George W. Bush.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/the-extreme-vulnerability-of-scada-systems-to-cyber-sabotage-was/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“The August 2003 blackout was a wake-up call for both industry and government regulators.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/the-august-2003-blackout-was-a-wake-up-call-for-both-industry-and/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“The world is locked into a state of cyber dependency”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/the-world-is-locked-into-a-state-of-cyber-dependency/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“consumer deals directly only with the local company that delivers the electricity on that final leg.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/consumer-deals-directly-only-with-the-local-company-that-delivers-the/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“the Internet is also giving rise to “filter bubbles” that decrease users’ exposure to conflicting viewpoints and reinforce their own ideological frames.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/the-internet-is-also-giving-rise-to-filter-bubbles-that-decrease/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“(Several nation-states, most prominently the Russians and the Chinese, have already spent years conducting just such reconnaissance.)”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/several-nation-states-most-prominently-the-russians-and-the-chinese/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“the only institution with real power to decide how the power industry is protected is the power industry.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/the-only-institution-with-real-power-to-decide-how-the-power-industry/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“What about independent actors using cyberattacks to knock out one of our power grids? Are we at that point yet? “Simple answer,” said Schmidt,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/what-about-independent-actors-using-cyberattacks-to-knock-out-one-of/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“it took on average 279 days before companies that had been breached came to realize it or were told by someone else. The”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/it-took-on-average-279-days-before-companies-that-had-been-breached/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) > [“Once it’s handed off to the local companies that transmit electricity to the local consumers, no federal regulations apply. At that point, it’s under…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/once-it-s-handed-off-to-the-local-companies-that-transmit-electricity/) [Ted Koppel](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) [Explore all 139 Ted Koppel quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/) ## More Hacker quotes > [It's official: cyber terror is the new yellowcake uranium.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-poulsen/it-s-official-cyber-terror-is-the-new-yellowcake-uranium/) Kevin Poulsen > [Digital warfare, in the Clausewitz definition as 'the continuation of policy by other means,' reached Western public consciousness via my own country, Estonia, in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/toomas-hendrik-ilves/digital-warfare-in-the-clausewitz-definition-as-the-continuation-of/) [Toomas Hendrik Ilves](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/toomas-hendrik-ilves/) > [We need to think about encryption not as this sort of arcane, black art. It's a basic protection.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/we-need-to-think-about-encryption-not-as-this-sort-of-arcane-black/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [I was fascinated with the phone system and how it worked; I became a hacker to get better control over the phone company.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/i-was-fascinated-with-the-phone-system-and-how-it-worked-i-became-a/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [We've always had to worry about the electrical grid and nuclear facilities, and they remain a concern; but cyber-terrorism, you know, which is a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/we-ve-always-had-to-worry-about-the-electrical-grid-and-nuclear/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Nine out of every 10 large corporations and government agencies have been attacked by computer intruders.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/nine-out-of-every-10-large-corporations-and-government-agencies-have/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [If nothing else, the cyber attacks that occurred during the 2016 presidential election have laid bare the very real vulnerabilities that exist across our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-quigley/if-nothing-else-the-cyber-attacks-that-occurred-during-the-2016/) [Mike Quigley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-quigley/) > [There are two types of encryption: one that will prevent your sister from reading your diary and one that will prevent your government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-schneier/there-are-two-types-of-encryption-one-that-will-prevent-your-sister/) [Bruce Schneier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-schneier/) > [It's true, I had hacked into a lot of companies, and took copies of the source code to analyze it for security bugs. If…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mitnick/it-s-true-i-had-hacked-into-a-lot-of-companies-and-took-copies-of-the/) [Kevin Mitnick](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mitnick/) > [I will then ask for a plan to immediately protect those vulnerabilities and then fix them.At the same time, we will invest heavily in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-will-then-ask-for-a-plan-to-immediately-protect-those/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [If an adversary didn't target our power plants but they did target the core routers, the backbones that tie our internet connections together, entire…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-snowden/if-an-adversary-didn-t-target-our-power-plants-but-they-did-target/) [Edward Snowden](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-snowden/) > [Guys, I'm Not a Hacker. I Was Asked If I Wanted To Be An Admin And I Said Yes, So PleaseStop Saying I Am.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/guys-i-m-not-a-hacker-i-was-asked-if-i-wanted-to-be-an-admin-and-i/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [The U.S. has the most advanced cyber-weaponry on the planet, and t if you look at the U.S. from the perspective of the Chinese…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-glenny/the-u-s-has-the-most-advanced-cyber-weaponry-on-the-planet-and-t-if/) [Misha Glenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-glenny/) > [There is the possibility to be suddenly arrested for hacking.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexandra-elbakyan/there-is-the-possibility-to-be-suddenly-arrested-for-hacking/) [Alexandra Elbakyan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexandra-elbakyan/) > [Further, the next generation of terrorists will grow up in a digital world, with ever more powerful and easy-to-use hacking tools at their disposal.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/further-the-next-generation-of-terrorists-will-grow-up-in-a-digital/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) [Browse all 662 Hacker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hacker/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“We remain largely oblivious to the potential catastrophe of a well-targeted cyberattack.”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Ted Koppel" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/we-remain-largely-oblivious-to-the-potential-catastrophe-of-a-well/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hacker" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/we-remain-largely-oblivious-to-the-potential-catastrophe-of-a-well/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/ted-koppel-3111_hacker_we-remain-largely-oblivious-to-the-poten_234653.png", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/ted-koppel-3111_hacker_we-remain-largely-oblivious-to-the-poten_234653.png", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/4fa/ted-koppel-3111_hacker_we-remain-largely-oblivious-to-the-poten_234653.png", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“We remain largely oblivious to the potential catastrophe of a well-targeted cyberattack.” — Ted Koppel", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Ted Koppel", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-koppel/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“We remain largely oblivious to the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/we-remain-largely-oblivious-to-the-potential-catastrophe-of-a-well/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-koppel/we-remain-largely-oblivious-to-the-potential-catastrophe-of-a-well/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```