"Serangan siber", cyberattack, has been one of the most searched phrases in Malaysia this week, after the Prime Minister told Parliament on 3 November that the country is among those considered potential targets. One of the five measures the government announced is improving public and community preparedness.

For a family, preparedness means something modest: a kit that covers a few days without the services we take for granted.

What is a "digital blackout"?

A digital blackout is when the lights may stay on but the systems you rely on do not: online banking, card payments, e-wallets, mobile data or a government portal. In the attacks abroad that the Prime Minister cited, Belgium had to shut its national tax portal and a United States election filing system was disrupted for 41 hours. A power cut can cause a digital blackout too, because your router needs power, and so does the network beyond it.

The emergency kit checklist

Water and food

• Drinking water: a common guideline is about 4 litres per person per day, for at least 3 days.
• Three days of food that needs no cooking, or only boiling water.
• A manual can opener.

Money and documents

• Some cash in small notes, in case card terminals or e-wallets are down.
• Copies of your IC, passports, insurance policies and prescriptions, on paper and on a USB drive.
• Important phone numbers written down: family, your doctor, your building management. The emergency number is 999, or 112 from a mobile phone.

Light and information

• A torch or headlamp, with spare batteries.
• A battery or wind-up radio.
• Offline maps of your area, downloaded to your phone.

Health

• A first-aid kit and at least a week of any regular medicines.
• Masks, hand sanitiser and basic hygiene items.

Power

• A charged power bank for each phone. The RAPID Magnetic Power Bank (10000mAh) attaches magnetically to compatible phones, so it charges while you use them.
• A small power station for the router, lights and charging. RIVER 3 UPS stores 245Wh and switches over in 20 ms; RIVER 3 Plus stores 286Wh and expands to 858Wh.
• A way to recharge without the grid. The 60W Portable Solar Panel folds flat enough for a cupboard and refills a RIVER 3 UPS in about six hours of strong sun.

Keep it ready, not just bought

• Keep the kit in one bag or box, somewhere everyone at home knows.
• Charge the power banks every month, or leave the power station plugged in so it is always full.
• Check expiry dates on food, water and medicines every six months.
• Agree a meeting point, and how you will reach each other if phones are down.

Where a power station fits

Power banks keep phones going for a day or two. A power station adds what a power bank cannot: the Wi-Fi router, a fan through a hot night, a lamp, a rice cooker. A RIVER 3 Plus holds roughly 12 to 16 full smartphone charges, or about 12 hours of a router and fibre box. With a solar panel, it refills on every sunny day.

For a bigger setup, start with how to keep your home powered. For food, see keeping the fridge and freezer cold.

How EcoFlow Malaysia can help

We sell and support EcoFlow in Malaysia, and our part in this is practical: helping households and businesses choose the right backup before they need it, not after.

• Free sizing on WhatsApp. Tell us what you want to keep running and for how long, and we will suggest a setup: +60 11-3772 7100.
• Size a whole-home system yourself with the home backup sizer.
• See the units in person at our showroom: B0103, Blok B, Eko Galleria, Iskandar Puteri, Johor (Monday to Thursday and Sunday 11:00 to 20:00; Friday and Saturday 11:00 to 21:00).
• Warranty and after-sales in Malaysia on every unit bought from the official channel.
• 0% instalments for up to 24 months on selected credit cards.