It sounds like the writer of this article is a little overwrought. If all the malware did was overwrite the MBR and some random sectors, the damage was minimal. It is a fairly easy task to restore the MBR, and recovering any corrupted data should not be a problem if the computer is being backed up regularly.
What else is a cyber attack going to target? Pencil sharpeners?
Hastati (singular: Hastatus) were a class of infantry in the armies of the early Roman Republic who originally fought as spearmen, and later as swordsmen. They were originally some of the poorest men in the legion, and could afford only modest equipment—light armour and a large shield, in their service as the lighter infantry of the legion. Later, the hastati contained the younger men rather than just the poorer, though most men of their age were relatively poor. Their usual position was the first battle line. They fought in a quincunx formation, supported by light troops. They were eventually done away with after the Marian reforms of 107 BC