• Home
  • Latest
  • Fortune 500
  • Finance
  • Tech
  • Leadership
  • Lifestyle
  • Rankings
  • Multimedia

Trendingnow

1

The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line

2

Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar

3

'Retiring backwards': How cold economic reality forced Gen X into something like the reverse of baby boomers' golden years

1

The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line

2

Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar

3

'Retiring backwards': How cold economic reality forced Gen X into something like the reverse of baby boomers' golden years
Cybersecurity

This is how much a cybercrime blackout would cost the U.S.

By
Laura Lorenzetti
Laura Lorenzetti
Down Arrow Button Icon
By
Laura Lorenzetti
Laura Lorenzetti
Down Arrow Button Icon
July 9, 2015, 10:30 AM ET
175824058
Smoke stacks of power plantDitto Getty Images/Image Source
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

While the simultaneous technical breakdowns of the New York Stock Exchange, United Airlines and Wall Street Journal on Wednesday weren’t connected, it sparked concerns of the damage an all-out cybercrime blackout could cause if such a glitch reached our power systems.

The extent of the economic damage can be estimated in one massive sum: $1 trillion. That’s according to a recent study by specialist insurance company Lloyd’s and University of Cambridge’s Centre for Risk Studies.

The report looked at two scenarios. One where a group of terrorists or “disgruntled insider” hackers break into the power system and bring 50 of the almost 700 generators in the northeastern U.S. offline, resulting in a blackout that lasts about 4 days. The damage: $243 billion in immediate and tangential economic loss.

The second scenario is where things get even worse. A group of hackers target the U.S. power grid and take out twice as many generators for the same amount of time. The economic damage more than quadruples to $1 trillion, or about 6% of U.S. GDP.

“This scenario shows the huge impact and havoc that could result from a major cyber attack on the U.S.,” said Tom Bolt, director of performance management at Lloyd’s. “The reality is that the modern, digital, and interconnected world creates the conditions for significant damage.”

Such a blackout would reach across 15 states, including New York City and Washington D.C., leaving 93 million people without power. The damage includes factors like a rise in mortality rates as health and safety systems fail, a decline in trade as ports shut down and transportation chaos as infrastructure collapses.

While such an attack is technologically possible, noted Lloyd’s, it isn’t necessarily likely. The report sets the “benchmark return period,” or an estimate of the likelihood of such an event, at 1:200. Lloyd’s, which is in the business of insurance, warns that the industry could lose upwards of $71 billion from such an attack.

Subscribe to Data Sheet, Fortune’s daily newsletter on the business of technology.

About the Author
By Laura Lorenzetti
See full bioRight Arrow Button Icon
Add Fortune on Google for similar content.

Latest in

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025

Most Popular

Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Finance
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam
By Fortune Editors
October 20, 2025
Fortune Secondary Logo
Rankings
  • 100 Best Companies
  • Fortune 500
  • Global 500
  • Fortune 500 Europe
  • Most Powerful Women
  • World's Most Admired Companies
  • See All Rankings
  • Lists Calendar
Sections
  • Finance
  • Fortune Crypto
  • Features
  • Leadership
  • Health
  • Commentary
  • Success
  • Retail
  • Mpw
  • Tech
  • Lifestyle
  • CEO Initiative
  • Asia
  • Politics
  • Conferences
  • Europe
  • Newsletters
  • Personal Finance
  • Environment
  • Magazine
  • Education
Customer Support
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Customer Service Portal
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms Of Use
  • Single Issues For Purchase
  • International Print
Commercial Services
  • Advertising
  • Fortune Brand Studio
  • Fortune Analytics
  • Fortune Conferences
  • Business Development
  • Group Subscriptions
About Us
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • About Us
  • Press Center
  • Work At Fortune
  • Terms And Conditions
  • Site Map
  • Facebook icon
  • Twitter icon
  • LinkedIn icon
  • Instagram icon
  • TikTok icon
  • YouTube icon

Latest in

Bessent joins Japan to help reverse months of yen losses
EconomyCurrency
Bessent joins Japan to help reverse months of yen losses
By Shintaro Inkyo, Masahiro Hidaka and BloombergAugust 1, 2026
19 minutes ago
A dead SpaceX rocket that’s been adrift for over a year is about to slam into the moon, carving out a new crater with the equivalent of 3 tons of TNT
Innovationspace
A dead SpaceX rocket that’s been adrift for over a year is about to slam into the moon, carving out a new crater with the equivalent of 3 tons of TNT
By Marcia Dunn and The Associated PressAugust 1, 2026
47 minutes ago
After Trump threatens more strikes on Iran, Kuwait and Hormuz shipping face new attacks, while Israel hits Gaza despite Hamas pledge to disarm
PoliticsIran
After Trump threatens more strikes on Iran, Kuwait and Hormuz shipping face new attacks, while Israel hits Gaza despite Hamas pledge to disarm
By Samy Magdy, Aamer Madhani and The Associated PressAugust 1, 2026
1 hour ago
A loneliness epidemic is creating a new type of third space: the one built around curiosity
SuccessSocial Media
A loneliness epidemic is creating a new type of third space: the one built around curiosity
By Tatiana SatauaAugust 1, 2026
2 hours ago
Jensen Huang
SuccessCareers
Jensen Huang says ‘a lot’ of six-figure jobs in plumbing and construction will soon be unlocked because someone needs to build new AI centers
By Preston ForeAugust 1, 2026
2 hours ago
Inside Miami’s ‘Billionaire Bunker,’ a man-made island for the .01% where billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg shell out for total privacy
Real EstateBillionaires
Inside Miami’s ‘Billionaire Bunker,’ a man-made island for the .01% where billionaires like Jeff Bezos and Mark Zuckerberg shell out for total privacy
By Marco Quiroz-GutierrezAugust 1, 2026
2 hours ago

Most Popular

The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
Retail
The rise of 'conspicuous waiting': The 19th-century economic theory that explains why Gen Z posts their place in line
By Tatiana SatauaJuly 31, 2026
1 day ago
Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
Personal Finance
Millennials say they’ll refuse to care for aging boomer parents—but they’ll be forced to as their inheritance shrinks to 40 cents on the dollar
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 31, 2026
1 day ago
'Retiring backwards': How cold economic reality forced Gen X into something like the reverse of baby boomers' golden years
Success
'Retiring backwards': How cold economic reality forced Gen X into something like the reverse of baby boomers' golden years
By Nick LichtenbergJuly 31, 2026
23 hours ago
Tim Cook signed off on his final Apple earnings call with a warning about a ‘100-year flood’ in memory chip pricing
Big Tech
Tim Cook signed off on his final Apple earnings call with a warning about a ‘100-year flood’ in memory chip pricing
By Alexei OreskovicJuly 30, 2026
2 days ago
He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead
Success
He worked 100-hour weeks to save a nearly bankrupt boat company. At 83, he’s just turned down $400 million for it—and gave it all to charity instead
By Preston ForeJuly 29, 2026
3 days ago
Jensen Huang says this is the greatest time in history to start a business—and his advice is to stop overthinking it: 'How hard can it be?’
Success
Jensen Huang says this is the greatest time in history to start a business—and his advice is to stop overthinking it: 'How hard can it be?’
By Preston ForeJuly 31, 2026
24 hours ago

© 2026 Fortune Media IP Limited. All Rights Reserved. Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy | CA Notice at Collection and Privacy Notice | Do Not Sell/Share My Personal Information
FORTUNE is a trademark of Fortune Media IP Limited, registered in the U.S. and other countries. FORTUNE may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.