Counting from Zero (7 page)

It took a bit of searching and the use of his GPS but he found the hypocenter, the spot at which some 6ØØ meters in the air, the dynamite trigger had fired a slug of uranium into a larger ball of uranium, setting off the chain reaction.
 
He found he was able to photograph this spot because there was just a small monument covered in colorful paper cranes on a busy street next to a hospital.
 
Nothing original remained from that day – everything had been rebuilt.

It was so hard for Mick to imagine: all those years of secret work on the other side of the world being suddenly revealed on one fateful day, and it happened right here, where he had walked all afternoon.

Later that evening he had dinner with Lars, Liz, Gunter and a few other colleagues.
 
He didn't mention his afternoon visit.
 
He forgot to ask Gunter about Kateryna.
 
He retired early with his thoughts.

The conference wrapped up the next day.
 
Mick didn't talk to Kateryna again, but he did see her a few times in various sessions.
 
On the long flight back, he found his thoughts drifting from his book to her.

Chapter 6.

From the
Security and Other Lies
Blog:

Is it possible to make my VoIP and video calls over the Internet secure?
 
Raptorznest

The answer to this is a definite yes if you use secure communication software and tools!
 

Just like your bank information, personal details, and passwords should never be sent over the Internet without being encrypted, your voice and video communication should not be sent so that anyone can listen, watch, or record you.
 
This is especially critical for wireless communication.
 
In the early days of analog mobile phones, anyone with a radio scanner could eavesdrop or record conversations in their vicinity.
 
Unfortunately, many Voice over IP (VoIP) and video communication tools do not use encryption.
 
I would absolutely NEVER use such services that have so little regard for your privacy.

Secure VoIP and video services encrypt the voice and video packets over the Internet, preventing others from listening in or recording your sessions.
 
Personally, I only use open source programs and tools built on standard protocols and algorithms.
  
This way, I can make sure there are no 'back doors' - hidden ways for someone to access otherwise secure communication.
 
 
The only way to be sure is if the source code is verified.
 

With a good VoIP security protocol such as ZRTP, I can even verify myself that the call is secure and that no one is listening in or recording my call.
 
This is done by reading out a short string that is generated for each call and displayed on the screen, such as 'Clockwork Pegasus' to the other party in the session.
 
This string is a word representation of the encryption key used for the session, is used to secure the call.
 
If the words on my screen match the words displayed to the other party, then we know our call is secure.

The main downside of using secure communications software is that both sides must have it.
 
Usually, I will have a short introductory conversation with someone without it, and I will send a link to download the right software and use it for our future sessions.
 
And of course, if your VoIP call goes into the telephone network, then any encryption will end at the gateway, and your call will be unencrypted the rest of the way.

Also, note that no security protocol or application can protect you against a bug installed on your phone, or a listening device in the room where you are talking.

So, Raptorznest, make sure your VoIP and video calling is encrypted, and encrypted using published standards.
 
With the right software, you can have level of security on your personal conversations that until recently was only available to heads of state and spies.

-> Your question not answered this week?
 
Argue for your vote on the Shameless Plugging area of our discussion forum.

Chapter 7.

“Can someone explain what the hell is going on here?” boomed the baritone voice.
 
All eyes were on the man in the U.S. military uniform as he looked up and down the table, waiting for an answer.

“Sir, have you read the report?” someone ventured.

“I have!
 
But it is so full of CYA bull that I couldn’t follow it.
 
I want someone to succinctly explain the situation, to make sure we are all on the same page.
 
This committee needs to get to work!”

“Well, sir…
 
during their preliminary investigation of last week’s web server outage, UBK found evidence that their servers and networks were being targeted by the zero day.”

“UBK, the subcontractor?”

“Yes, for years they have been subcontracting all kinds of government services including prisons, call centers, and even some postal functions.
 
Recently, they took over the IT operation of all U.S. non-secret government computers, data centers, and security.”

“Why did their infrastructure fail so completely?
 
Why is it so vulnerable?”

“They claim that everyone in the industry was taken by surprise by the worm.
 
It was an un-patched vulnerability that had been in the software for years, but this zero day attack exposed it.”

“And we have outsourced all our IT infrastructure with them alone?”

“Yes.
 
The transition has taken eighteen months but is essentially complete.
 
They are currently rolling out on-premise security for all government contractors.”

The General swore.

“Didn’t anyone point out the risk of this kind of outsourcing of critical government functions?
 
If UBK can’t keep our IT systems up due to attacks, how will the government function?
 
Don’t tell me, some did but they were ignored in the name of cost savings and smaller government, right?”
 
The General paused and looked around the room.
 
He desperately wished for some sunlight; he had been underground all day.
 
“So what do we know about the attacks?”

“Not much at all – it was a zero day targeted at web servers.
 
We’ve asked UBK for their intrusion logs.
 
It seems it was some kind of worm that spread incredibly quickly.
 
An independent consultant named Mick O’Malley apparently found the root case and wrote a patch that fixed it.
 
UBK claim they are currently at 97% deployment of the patch.”

“Who do we think is behind the attacks?” the General asked.
 
When no one answered, he continued.
 
“The usual Russian groups?”
 
No one responded.
 
“The Chinese?” he ventured.

“I don’t think so, sir, as it doesn’t have their usual signature.
 
We need to analyze all the logs to know more.
 
I wouldn’t count out the Russians, or their network of companies.”

“Get logs from all the Internet Service Providers as well,” the General ordered.
 
“Get everyone working on this.
 
I can’t stand just sitting here waiting for the other shoe to drop.
 
Dismissed!”

The room quickly emptied out, leaving the General alone with his thoughts.
 
He was not looking forward to briefing the National Security Council, but a cyber attack of this magnitude directed against the U.S. Government was not something that could be ignored.

Chapter 8.

Mick O'Malley
– wonders when he will be finished lying awake in the single digits of the morning.
 
Of course, he is enjoying using that time for brainstorming and general re-evaluation of his life to date.
 
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Mick squeezed the clutch and downshifted into first gear as he came up the hill to his workshop.
 
He cut the motorcycle’s engine as he crossed the threshold of the garage.
 
He put out the kickstand, turned the fuel petcock to the horizontal position and lifted his leg over the bike.
 
His face felt a little flushed as he pulled off the helmet and placed it on the stainless steel counter top.
 
His heart rate was slightly elevated, although still under the norm.
 
His resting heart rate was nearly as low as a marathon runner's, and as a result he wore a tag around his neck to let emergency personnel know this fact.
 
In short, he was very happy with his ride.
 
He glanced at the GPS track stored on his mobile and shared it with his social network.

It was a nice ride on his 1965 Ducati 25Ø Mark 1, café racer style motorcycle.
 
It was one of his favorite bikes because of the way it rode with its short and low handlebars, and also for the bright orange paint.
 
It felt good to be back home in the East Village, even if his bio-clock had not yet adjusted to New York City time.

Deciding to have a shower later, he sat down in his office and swiveled in his chair.
 
Two giant flat screens lit up and came to life.
 
He received a message indicating that a package had arrived for him.
 
Mick didn’t have any snail mail or package deliveries to his apartment – it all went to a service in a different neighborhood.
 
The paper mail was automatically opened, scanned, and securely emailed to him, but he still had to pick up packages.
 
He looked over the image of the shipping label, noticing the Australian customs declaration, filled in and signed by his uncle.
 
His uncle was a serial inventor, and was always sending his latest and greatest to Mick to try out.

Wonder what it is this time?

Mick began the next day with his usual swim.
 
When he started sailing small dinghies as a teenager, he had taken swimming lessons.
 
These days, he was a strong swimmer, often swimming a few kilometers in a session.
 
On the way back from the pool, he picked up the package from his uncle.
 
Opening the package, he carefully removed a set of small round devices.
 
Mick found a link to the code in the
device which
he followed.
 
After examining the crypto for about an hour, he was satisfied.

Not bad, Uncle, never know when I might need one of these.

Later, he was pleasantly surprised to find himself invited to join Kateryna’s social network – he had been ‘friended’ by her.
 
He reciprocated and was then able to peruse her profile and friends’ network.

His first stop was her pictures.
 
There were some nice ones of her and lots of other photographs, presumably that she had taken, including a few pinhole photographs.
 
There were mainly travel
pics which
showed an interest in history, and an excellent eye for composition.
 
There were very few pictures of her with other people – friends, family, etc.
 
Mick realized this was true of his profile as well.

In her friends’ network, he saw a few people he knew, including Gunter and Liz.
 
Her postings read just like her conversation, although she seemed somewhat preoccupied with unusual combinations of foods – those postings seemed to generate the most comments and approvals.

What would she conclude looking at my profile
?

Mick brought up his own profile and looked it over for a few minutes but without forming any conclusions.
 
He was interrupted by the alerting of the secure telephone on his desk
.
 
It was his sister.
 
They had a close relationship, and no matter how busy he was, Mick made the time to stay in touch with her.

“Hi Jocelyn!” he answered.

“Hey Alec,” she replied.
 
“How was your trip?”