In this scenario, hackers launch cyber-attacks that affect several parts of the nation’s financial infrastructure over the course of several weeks. Specifically, sensitive credit card processing facilities are hacked and numbers are released to the Internet, causing 120 million cards to be canceled; automated teller machines (ATMs) fail nearly simultaneously across the nation; major companies report payroll checks are not being received by workers; and several large pension and mutual fund companies have computer malfunctions so severe that they are unable to operate for more than a week.