Many woke up on Thursday morning with no cell service. As I write this, AT&T and the White House are still unclear as to what exactly happened as the service provider scrambles to reconnect its customers. Some early indicators indicate that it has something to do with the network that allows connections between providers, but the root cause isn't as important as what you will do with this information.

I say, "good." To use some earthquake terminology, these little controllable collapses are like foreshocks. Over the last few years, we have seen extensive ransomware attacks, networks seized, data stolen, and even infrastructure and defense systems tampered with. We know state-sponsored hacking groups focused on attacking, stealing from, and destroying other countries. We know the threat is out there, and we know that it will get worse.

I say good because these more controlled and minor infrastructure failings wake people up. Do you have a communication plan? How dependent on technology are you? How vulnerable to cyberattack are you? Would you be prepared if the traffic lights stopped working, shipping deliveries stopped, or the primary pipelines, fuel sources, or electricity went down for a week or longer?