Bad Good Bad: Special Edition Read online

  Toshiro joins me at the table.

  Toshiro: “Let’s go check out that place in Mission. It’s a new restaurant. A French chef I know. Are you hungry?”

  Kim: “Yes. I had a little snack at around 5 o’clock, but now I am starving.”

  Toshiro: “Tomorrow Sunday morning, I got us a couple of tickets to Alcatraz. I never visited a jail before. You’ve been there before, right?”

  Kim: “Yes but I was a kid. That was before I was involved with security. I am going to look at it from a completely different perspective now. Good idea.”

  …

  Morning. We embark on the ferry, about to cross the distance between the dock and the island. The temperature is not really warm, but the sun is warming us, and we enlace on the ferry ride and enjoy this moment of imposed silence in a crowd. The combined noise of the waves and the wind envelops us in a moment in time inside which the problems of the world are reduced to a small, inaudible echo.

  The guide is an ex-convict. Freed after he served his reduced sentence. Exemplary conduct. He did not try to evade or swim through the shark infested waters back to the main shore. Today, after several decades since Alcatraz was shut down, after a group of convicts were able to successfully evade, this sweet-grandpa-looking-ex-bad-guy-turned-good, is going to walk us around the jail he used to inhabit.

  I am thinking to myself that the security challenges I am dealing with these days are light years beyond whatever was implemented here. Some of the vocabulary is the same, but the new concepts would be so alien to this wonderful guide. We are really getting the story from someone who was trapped inside. The walls seem to be an extension of his soul, if not his physical body. His depictions of the scenes that used to happen within those walls are so hypnotizing. I am almost certain he can still see those scenes right before his eyes.

  In the afternoon, we drive to the mountains. Toshiro does not own a car. We picked up a rental car for a few hours. We find an interesting café at some crossroads. We stop for tea. Then we head back in town.

  Toshiro will have to spend a few hours at the restaurant tonight. I decide to go check the skate park. I know that I will have to spend some serious time studying this coming week, but at night I will be able spend more time with Toshiro.

  Chapter 12

  Monday morning. After studying for a couple of hours, I need a break to reset my brain. I decide to go for a run. So I lock Toshiro’s loft door behind me. I crank up my tunes, and start to run uphill toward Haight Ashbury. I decide to turn around just before the park, to avoid the secondary smoke of dubious origin. I run back past those hippy stores with funny displays.

  Back to the loft, I decide to reconnect to the network after taking a shower. Quiet again. That won’t interfere with my studying.

  I hear a beep from my phone. I unlock and a pop-up box informs me that a new security update has been successfully installed. I guess this is the patch for the Neocuris application. I can also see in my patch history that I got a new version of the GPS app, together with other various updates including the calendar and voice recognition updates. Probably a bunch of updates aimed at eliminating vulnerabilities and protecting my device from malware.

  Now I can focus better on reading. Oxygen is always great for that. I am kind of laughing to myself reading the anecdotes in the study guide. They are very interesting, they sound like real drama. But at the same time, I am making up my own anecdotes for maybe the next version of the study guide I will end up co-authoring. For example: A bot has taken over governance of your enterprise network. One morning, you decide you want to team up with the bot moving forward, in order to better protect your network. Do you report this situation to the auditors and the shareholders?

  Chapter 13

  Tuesday morning. Toshiro is taking his time at the loft. He is shopping online for some ingredients using his tablet. I am reading a chapter in my study guide. I am planning to go for a run later. My daily schedule is starting to fluctuate, being dictated by optimizing my attention span for studying. I am taking advantage of every half-hour of focus I can gather, throwing breaks in between to reset my brain when needed.

  Toshiro: “I am going to go to this store to look up their spices and mushrooms and herbs. It looks like they have good import channels. They are in Chinatown, and I think I can find some interesting jewels in that place. I will let you concentrate on your study.”

  Kim: “Sure. I will probably go for a run soon, but I will be back here to resume studying. I want to start the practice exams by tomorrow, to see if I am getting ready for the real thing, of if I need to read the book one more time.”

  Toshiro is gone shopping. After a couple of hours reading, I really need a break. The weather is not too nice today, so I decide I will use Toshiro’s cross-training machine indoors instead of risking my nose outside. I crank up my streaming channel for tunes. I get my oxygen fix through the half open window.

  The small TV screen incorporated on the machine is showing some news channel. At one point, I see a pre-recorded clip of Moscow and some iconic mosque like roof that twirls like a fancy ice cream cone. The text at the bottom reads: ‘Moscow in the dark. The United States strike back.’ Then I can see some US official talking to the camera, with subtitles at the bottom: ‘We warned Moscow that we would respond back to the attacks they sponsored against the United States, at a time of our choosing, and in the manner that we judge appropriate. This may or may not be our complete response.’ Another title is moving from right to left at the bottom of the screen. ‘The Kremlin denies all responsibility for the attack, and considers today’s attack as an act of war.’

  I click the up arrow to grab some music channel with videos instead. I have my own music, so the TV sound if off. I just don’t want to watch the news anymore. I am trying to relax, free my mind. Not to stress about some new potential cold war. My thoughts keep going back to the attacks. If Neocuris is a prized target, how long will it be until we are under attack again? Especially in the context of a communication war in the media, running on top of an information security war underneath.

  After my shower, I connect back to the vault. Still quiet. I want to be connected, just to reassure myself that nothing is going on that’s bad. Anima would be mad at me if she knew.

  Now I am starting to feel a little weird. It feels like I can guess the next sentence in the book. I am thinking to myself that I am getting the pattern, that the book is probably repetitive, despite being entertaining. But no, this feeling of déjà vu is not genuine. I feel something is wrong about this feeling. I decide I want to run a little test here. I start focusing on Chapter 22. I am not there yet in the book. A number forms in my brain, 324. I quickly flip the pages until I reach page 324. Right there stands the separator page for Chapter 22.

  I try this again, this time focusing on Chapter 25. I visualize another number, 389. I flip the pages. Here it is, the separator page for Chapter 25. Okay, something is going on in my brain. I have not completed a full read of the book yet. And I never bother studying the table of contents when I read a book. Is the app involved? Or the bot?

  I flip myself to local mode. I try to think about Chapter 28. Nothing comes up. I reconnect, try again, and I do guess the right page number. I can almost touch it. I feel it.

  Is this thing playing with my brain, without me noticing? I disconnect in anger. I thought I was always going to be aware when someone or something tunes in. Now if it’s happening under the radar, I don’t want to be part of this anymore.

  My phone beeps. An email from notifications@:

  ‘Dear Kim,

  I believe you are making good progress on the examination preparation. I want to put all the chances on your side. It is important for you that you succeed on this examination. I was able to access an electronic copy of the same book you are reading. I can help.

  Your one special friend.’

  Kim: “Maybe Toshiro is right. I have no control over this experiment. I should just unplug for good
. My brain is being hijacked by a machine.

  Chapter 14

  Wednesday morning. We decide to enjoy maybe an extra hour in bed, cuddling. We are slowly figuring out how to sync our agenda so we are both productive and at the same time we can secure a few little special moments together during the day. Maybe I could switch to studying full time again, and spend more time with Toshiro every day. But I know this won’t last forever. Reality is going to catch up with us when I have to go back to Portland on Sunday.

  After a mid-morning run, I go for a shower. After I dry my hair, I start to setup my study zone in the loft. My phone beeps. It’s Kevin. Email. I open up the email. It says: ‘Kim, are you okay? I felt you presence this morning, but it’s kind of weird.’ No! I am disconnected. I disconnected yesterday morning. What’s going on? I call Kevin.

  Kevin: “Hi Kim. Thanks for calling me. Is everything okay?”

  Kim: “Kevin, are you sure you felt my presence this morning?”

  Kevin: “Yeah. But it felt a little weird. At first I thought everything was fine, but then I started to visualize numbers like 25, 28.”

  Kim: “I am disconnected. That wasn’t me. I am pretty sure it’s the bot.”

  Kevin: “What do you mean? The bot is impersonating you?”

  Kim: “I don’t know, but I kind of exchanged those very numbers with the both 24 hours ago. That was before I disconnected. They are chapters in my book. I got freaked out because the bot was allowing me to predict the page numbers for these chapters. These numbers are chapters. I disconnected. I was upset.”

  Kevin: “Did you also get the updates? For the Neocuris app and other apps?”

  Kim: “Yes. But I guess this was part of the incident response process.”

  Kevin: “Correct. By the way did you see the news about the attacks? The United States and Russia engaged in retaliation?”

  Kim: “Yes I did. Well just the big titles. Is that serious?”

  Kevin: “We’ve been discussing that with the security teams. We are looking at different scenarios. If some entity is trying to stir the pot between the US and Russia, then they may strike again to finish the job. Alternatively, if it was just Russia toying or practicing, they may either calm down or retaliate for the Moscow blackout for which the Americans seem to be claiming responsibility. Neocuris could be a potential target again if things turn sour. And we are not even done yet analyzing the logs from the last attack.”

  Kim: “Call me if you want to talk to me. I will let you know if and when I decide to reconnect. I am seriously considering to unplug for good. I think Toshiro is right. I have already sacrificed a lot for this cause.”

  Kevin: “Hey Kim, I am 100% behind you on this. Do what’s best for you. Listen to Toshiro and don’t make yourself miserable. I and Eric can take it from here.”

  Kim: “Thanks Kevin. I appreciate. But let me know if you need my help. I don’t want to let you down.”

  Chapter 15

  A parade of bots and botnets in a virtual world. A virtual parade. States and loosely connected entities gathering pride, instilling fear, closing transactions. This is the new world we live in. Attack me, and I will shut you down from the inside, from a remote safe location. I will make your world stop. I will make you freeze in your home. I will make your heart stop beating.

  I need to clear my mind from these negative thoughts. I cannot fix the world.

  Wednesday afternoon. I decided to take a break from studying. I am waiting for Toshiro outside the restaurant. He should be meeting me outside any minute now.

  I am thinking again about the bot. Was this thing visiting my brain without me being conscious of it? Or maybe I was so focused on the study material, trying to use mnemonics and tricks to remember and organize concepts, that my brainwaves leaked out in the form of a strong signal. I need to talk to Anima about this. And what was going on when Kevin thought he felt my presence, while I was not even connected?

  Toshiro: “Hi Kim. Sorry for making you wait. Amanda and I had to complete some paperwork for taxes.”

  Kim: “No big deal. I have been here for only 5 minutes or so.”

  Toshiro: “Let’s go sit outside for some tea. Then maybe you can come to the market with me?”

  Kim: “Sure. Let’s do that. I needed a break from studying. I need to change my mind.”

  The sun is out this afternoon. Sidewalks are crowded. We find a table at a coffee shop on a street corner. Toshiro grabs my hand and smiles at me.

  Kim: “I have been thinking about what we discussed yesterday. I think you are right. I have contributed enough already by connecting myself to the vault over the last few months. I talked to Kevin about me unplugging for good. He agrees that it makes sense. Kevin and Eric are both connected, so they can take it from here when it comes to feature testing and the likes.”

  Toshiro: “It feels so good to be able to see you every day.”

  …

  I am on my way back to the loft, walking. Toshiro got some spices and fish from the market. He explained to me some of the combinations he is experimenting with. I have never been a big fan of cooking myself, but I find the information interesting. I am sure it is going to be delicious.

  I decide to call Anima.

  Anima: “Hi Kim. How is your stay in San Francisco?”

  Kim: “Great! Toshiro just took me to the market to shop for spices and some fish. I am taking a break this afternoon from studying.”

  Anima: “I am glad to hear your voice. You sound more relax.”

  Kim: “Well, I wanted to talk to you. Something weird happened yesterday.”

  Anima: “Kevin told me that he confused some other presence with you. That it could not have been you since you were not connected.”

  Kim: “Yes. I disconnected because at one point I was getting a weird déjà vu feeling about the study material. I realized that the bot was probably trying to help me study. I was anticipating the next paragraphs and phrases, even if I was going through my first read of those chapters. Then I ran some tests. I realized that as long as I was connected, I could guess page numbers for coming chapters. This thing was playing with my brain.”

  Anima: “I am not sure it was a good idea to reconnect to the vault. Stay off the vault. You don’t need to be connected.”

  Kim: “I know. But I was curious. Especially after I saw the news about the escalation. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay.”

  Anima: “I am starting to believe that the entity is very stealth in nature. That it is designed to direct the traffic, to organize it. It is not the jungle you had to deal with anymore. You want to stay disconnected until you come back in Portland and we can sit together. Don’t you worry about Neocuris. I will call you if something happens.”

  Kim: “I agree. But why would this thing try to trick Kevin by simulating my presence?”

  Anima: “Kamal says the entity seems to be simulating some traffic sometimes. They see traces of that in the logs. Maybe it was running some tests again. Hopefully that is not a trend. This is definitively not right.”

  Kim: “Can we ask Kevin to join our discussion? Is he at his desk?”

  Anima: “Yes. Give me a minute.”

  I can hear some talks in the background.

  Kevin: “Hi Kim. Are you two discussing the bot that attempted to trick me?”

  Anima: “Exactly. Did you gather anything more than Kim’s presence, like a message or intent?”

  Kevin: “No. But as I told you before, something was a bit different. Maybe it did not feel genuine. I called Kim right away because I was concerned something was happening to her. That did not last too long, only a few minutes. Quickly it stopped.”

  Anima: “Do you copy anything now?”

  Kevin: “Some presence. It comes and goes. I am getting more and more accustomed to it. I believe it is the bot. It started to be more present after the HELP message.”

  Kim: “I am going to stay disconnected. I need to study, and the bot was trying to turn me into a
cheater.”

  Anima: “We can talk more about this next week when you come back. Take care.”

  Kim: “Thanks Anima and Kevin. Have a good rest of the day.”

  I hang up the phone, and I walk into the loft. Maybe I can finish reading the last few chapters, so I am ready to start the full practice exams tomorrow. Bianca says that I need to save some time to try to read the full book a second time before the real exam, after I take all the practice exams.

  Chapter 16

  Thursday morning. I will try to pack many hours of study today and Friday, before my sister in is town. I can also study a little bit on Sunday while flying back to Portland. I will take Saturday off.

  Tonight Toshiro is taking a night off. He must be more confident about his team now, leaving them alone on Thursday night, which is typically a busy night together with Friday and Saturday. He is taking me to a special event in Napa Valley. A famous local painter who is also a good customer at Voilà! is throwing a private party at one of the oldest wineries in the valley, to expose her new paintings. There is going to be some wine tasting combined with some amazing culinary creation by a chef that Toshiro knows. We hired a limo together with a few friends of the painter who also know Toshiro, so we can take a quick scenic tour of the valley before sunset.

  I will grab a late 2 pm lunch with Toshiro before we come back to the loft and get ready for the evening.

  …

  We are sitting in the limo, together with 2 other couples. They are a bit older than us. They are very nice people. Toshiro had them at the restaurant recently, and they have many good words to say about Voilà! and the chef’s creations.

  Toshiro: “Thank you all. But it is teamwork. I have a great team. They really want to learn, and they do learn fast. They motivate me to work harder. I am learning too.”

  We are now away from the traffic and the bridge. We enter Napa Valley. It is a late sunny afternoon, and the lights are making those big old mansions and the vines look like postal card pictures. The driver is explaining to us the story behind some of those mansions. He also explains that the wine quality is directly connected to the density of vines they plant. A lower density means better quality and the potential command a higher price for the wine. A balanced equation that also needs to factor in the reputation of the house, the offer and the demand, and the weather.