Hackers have broken into financial institutions' computer systems, and put popular Web sites temporarily out of business with distributed denial-of-service attacks. But this is not the sort of thing that keeps most security experts up late at night.

What keeps them awake is worrying about the underlying systems that control the local power grids, the local drinking water treatment facilities, and the gas that's used to heat our homes. These resources are vulnerable, and a malicious user anywhere in the world could someday bring your day to a screaming halt--whether or not you use a computer.

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