I saw the transition and the preparation during the Cold War period. What I mean by that is that during the seventies and eighties, computer systems in the armed forces throughout the world were susceptible to that kind of threat. Data processing rooms were built to withstand any EMPs. As time progressed and by the end of the Cold War, it was considered too costly to proceed that way, so we went on—and by “we” I mean different companies—to buy commercially available off-the-shelf computers. This is how we became vulnerable today.
Unless you have a duly prepared room to withstand any EMPs, any system is vulnerable. The telco infrastructure is vulnerable; any cars on the road that are highly electronically enabled are vulnerable.
To that extent, Mr. Motz, we are, I'm sorry to say, doomed, if one gets out and is blasted 400 kilometres above North America. North America itself will be down and we'll be living back in the way of life of 100 years ago, getting heat from wood stoves and communicating using the smoke from their fires.