I remember covering FirstConn22 security conference for Irish Tech News in July 2022. At the event, I heard the framing of Russia’s cyber offensive as part of a digital world war three. Since 2013, fewer for-profit criminals and hostile state actors alike have monetized, galvanized, and used cybercrime at scale to profit and disrupt target nations.
What has gone unseen by the public has been the focus of intense investment and development by criminal organisations and hostile state actors alike. In my debut novel, From Terror to Valor: Echoes and Shadows, a notable part of the story was the forward-looking stance taken on technology adoption by Jack Debaut, and the CIA. In the real world, free-world adversaries are just as creative.
Another aspect of Jack’s war on terror that interfaces with the actual war on terror is strategy. His reflective scenes are indeed required in a murky world where nothing is as it seems. Refinement of fact from fiction, seeing through the lies, and protecting your own information sensitivities all ring true. This applies to real world intelligence professionals as it does to Jack in his story-born world.
Cyber Press reported on July 8th of this year that the NSA (National Security Agency in the United States) suffered a 1.4 gigabyte data leak from a recent hack. This hack raises serious questions about contractor (and sub contractor) security measures for the US Security agency. The article reports that the contractor in question had access to a wide range of sensitive areas.
Claims of NSA been Hacked
Cyber Press also reports a dark web forum user handle “Gostingr”, as conducting the file upload. It’s alleged that this file reveals national security secrets in terms of US and allied security personnel’s names and contact details. The author posted screenshots, which suggest by the like button, it may have a Russian language connection. Conjecture aside, I must also challenge the veracity of the article.
The author made the claim of file upload by “Gostingr” on July 9th in his July 8th posted article according to the timestamp in his Cyber Press article. This is exactly the type of detail that Jack mulls over in his story. It is common to every intelligence professional and investigator who forensically deduces fact from fiction based on the credible information at hand.
From Terror to Valor: Echoes and Shadows, available on pre-order for September 11th release.
I think the date may be an author typo if I were to guess. However, in such a high stakes digital world where real people’s lives are at risk, one cannot afford to take chances. Jack experienced this time and time again in “From Terror to Valor: Echoes and Shadows”; knowing he will be on the bad side of a judgement call in the future. The same also applies to intelligence professionals in the real world.
Bypassing National Security
Personally, I think each generation has its challenges delivered by circumstance and forces who, by-proxy, extend their influence in implementing their own plans. Some are good, such as the many initiatives seen in democratic nations to aid and protect their people living out their lives. Some are bad, such as the use of digital subversion by hostile state actors like Russia. These bad actor aims are many, which include the pushing of weaponized false narratives to force feed us manipulation, lies and innuendo.
If this digital world war three is a preamble to an actual world war; I can see the urgency of it all been as intense as the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine, or the 1940 Japanese strike on Pearl Harbor. These events were incendiary to awakening sleeping nations, caught unwares by the malicious plans of their foes.
Incendiary events aside, it’s what we don’t see that intelligence professionals must discern in a timely manner. The plans of the enemy, the intent of the enemy, and the will of the enemy. In a new age of digital authoritarianism, the latter has become key to any aggressor success.
Security Vigilance is our Future
In digitally engaged nations offering unwitting access, we can be the subject of a digital assault without ever knowing it. When an enemy fleet becomes visible from our shores, this key vulnerability can determine the following battle in the physical realm. Without the luxury of time, we can find addressing any gaps in our defence can meet a hard-stop when fear stops us on the street.
Taking a balanced approach to our security in the digital era needs a practical measure of how we replace fear with resolve. Technology adoption, matched with an understanding of what we have and who wants it, are great places to start. When we take a risk-based view, processing intelligence around the details can turn dark futures onto bright ones.
About the Author
John is a versatile author known for his gripping fiction narratives in the thriller, action, and suspense genres. With a background as a journalist since 2016, and expertise in cloud technologies as an engineer; John brings a unique blend of storytelling prowess and technical acumen to his work.
