Cyber attacks have become mainstream news. A day doesn’t go by when some sort of cyber attack is reported. Hacking company and government databases has become commonplace. Movies and television focus on it.
Can the technology featured in The Zeus Payload be far away? Or could it be here now?
If you aren’t familiar with the technology, a cyber attack can come from a few different sources. The two hardest to defend against are a computer virus, which infiltrates a computer and can then steal information (or take other harmful action), and a computer worm, which infiltrates a network and all the computers on it. If a worm also has a payload (attacking software) is acts as a cyber weapon. This is the technology used in the attacks on the Iranian Nuclear Centrifuge. It is also the basis for The Zeus Payload, the techno-thriller that takes cyber weapons to the next level. In The Zeus Payload, the creator of the worms that struck Iran designs a newer model, one that can avoid detection. Forever.
Imagine the power that would bring. Imagine being able to launch an attack, and never being caught. Imagine changing computer records – real estate, stocks, communications, and being untraceable.
Sound far fetched? Maybe. But a decade ago much of today’s technology sounded like science fiction. Technology changes at an ever-increasing pace. It’s not so much that technology changes exponentially, but the rate of change changes exponentially.
Of course, technologists are not only trying to figure out how to infiltrate their enemies without being caught, but also trying to defend against such attacks. The race is on. Who will win?
If you find the subject interesting, The Zeus Payload gives a glimpse of the technology without bogging down with too many details. If you haven’t already, check out the reviews or give it a try.