by Uzi Eilam
“Well, the assignment you just mentioned is custom-made for you, and you shouldn’t have a problem dealing with it in Israel as well, of course, and also in France, considering you’re fluent in the language and have a good grasp of the culture there,” Osman said. “What’s the other assignment?”
“The manager mentioned connections in Hong Kong as an entry point for bringing the idea of private banking to China, which is currently awakening…” She didn’t mention the topic of cyber defense. Her intuition, as well as common sense, told her to maintain her discretion even when it came to Osman, her fellow bank employee.
“Ahhh! That’s a heavy topic, Ronit. We should think carefully about where to begin.”
“What’s your suggestion?”
“I’d contact the large branch of the Bank of China in Hong Kong.”
“How do I reach them?”
“Our bank maintains an ongoing work relationship with that bank,” Osman replied. “But you might be able to get directly to the head of the pyramid, meaning the manager of the Hong Kong branch.”
“You know everything,” Ronit blurted out. “Who is this guy? And how do I get to him?”
“That would be Mr. Fang Chok Tong, a true legend thanks to his amazing banking success stories. I know he has two sons in Singapore. I don’t know their names, but it would be easy to find them and use them to get to Old Fang.”
“Thanks, Osman, you’re a real friend.” Ronit parted from him with a light peck and moved on to her own office in order to pack her things.
***
The new office welcomed her with a homey feeling. Everything was arranged in accordance with her needs, and she sat down, quiet and contemplative. Ronit thought back to her progress since the end of her military service, first as a common soldier and later as an officer in the Ministry of Defense’s budget division. After three years of studying economics at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Ronit had decided to move on to the INSEAD Institute of Business Administration near Paris. Concluding her studies at INSEAD’s Singapore extension had proved useful in moving her career in a new, challenging direction.
She then began to deliberate on what she should do in order to advance the bank’s activity in Hong Kong and how to contact the manager of the Bank of China in the city. Ronit was aware that Gideon Ben Ari knew people in Singapore. She’d feel more comfortable contacting him, rather than someone from the bank. She was certain that Gideon and Dan, whom she had met at the event celebrating the arrival of the Israeli bank, would provide her support in her cybersecurity assignment. Gideon’s business card included his cell number, and she sent him a WhatsApp message, asking if they could talk.
“Hi, Ronit,” Gideon said. “What a surprise! What brings you to me?”
“Good afternoon, Gideon. I thought we could go on a run together tomorrow morning, if that works for you. I wanted to tell you about my promotion at the bank. And maybe get some good advice from you.”
“A promotion? Congratulations! I’d be happy to hear about it and give you some advice if I can.”
“How about if I pick you up at your hotel at six thirty in the morning? I take my morning run at Bedok Reservoir Park, running two laps around the artificial lake. Does that work for you?”
“Sure, that would be fantastic! See you then.”
***
Several cars were parked in the parking lot next to Bedok Reservoir Park when Gideon and Ronit arrived. The air was moist, but the sun was still quite low in the sky, and Gideon enjoyed running by the bank of the lake. The long-legged Ronit was light on her feet, and the two took care to coordinate the pace of their running.
“Wow, that was great!” Gideon said after they ended the two laps, sitting down in the shade of a pavilion near a kiosk to sip cold lemonade from giant glasses.
“I hope I’m in your condition when I’m your age.” She smiled.
“Sure. It keeps my head clear, too. You can take that from someone with experience.”
“How are your meetings with the industry executives coming along?”
“We took a break in order to allow Dan to build a prototype of the system we’re aiming for eventually, or so we hope.”
Gideon didn’t allow himself to tell Ronit about the security assignment they had recently taken on before hearing more details about her new role at the bank. He was linking what he had heard at the task force meeting in Tan’s office—about the instruction the bank’s management had received to protect itself from cyber attacks—with Ronit’s recent appointment to a senior role.
Gideon decided to hone in on the matter at hand. “And what’s going on at the bank? You said they were promoting you?”
“Ahhh… yes, they’re bumping me up to the management floor, to manage the bank’s private banking department. It’s a serious promotion, but a pretty major challenge as well.”
“Way to go, Ronit. The Singaporeans don’t let foreigners climb up the ranks that easily. This is a real badge of honor in regard to your capabilities.”
“Thanks, Gideon. It’s a respectable promotion, but that’s not all. I’m also joining the team the bank has put together to defend us against hostile cyber based activity.”
“That sounds really serious, Ronit. Was that what you wanted to consult me about?”
“It is, actually,” Ronit replied quickly. “I don’t know a lot about this area. The truth is I was exposed to the subject in a special seminar as part of my studies at the INSEAD Institute in France, but that was quite general and theoretical, and I’m sure you, Gideon, know so much about it…”
“I know a thing or two about what’s happening in that field. But the real expert is Dan Avni. I suggest you learn about what’s going on in the area of cyber security at the bank, and then you can ask me the right questions. I’ll recruit Dan to guide you on your assignment. Don’t worry, Ronit.”
“Thanks, Gideon, I’ll do that. But I also have a request that concerns private banking. I’m looking for a way to contact the manager of the Bank of China’s Hong Kong branch. I know his two sons live in Singapore, both in high-ranking positions. Do you have any idea how I could contact one of them?”
“I can do better than that,” Gideon replied. “I’m good friends with Old Fang’s younger son. Fang Quan Lin is an old friend and is taking part in our activity here. I’ll talk to him, and he’ll be happy to meet you. I’m sure you’ll have no problems getting to Old Fang through him.”
“You’re something else!” Ronit enthused. “I knew I could count on you.”
“Here’s the cell number for my friend Quan Lin. But let me talk to him first, and he’ll be in touch with you.”
As they made their way back to the Shangri La Hotel, the two remained immersed in their own thoughts. Ronit was happy for the crucial support and the stable shoulder to lean on that Gideon was offering her. Most of all, she was glad to be getting help in regard to the intimidating topic of cyber warfare. She couldn’t, and didn’t want to, think too far ahead at this stage.
Gideon was charmed by the fresh, energetic quality that the talented, pretty, and athletic young woman exuded. He was happy to get a chance to help Ronit, and he knew Quan Lin could provide the goods when it came to establishing contact with his banker father. He decided to update Dan on the cyber aspect, but to put off further activity in that regard until he received more clarification. He was not surprised to hear that the bank’s management was aware of the threat of a cyber attack. He hoped he could trust Ronit when it came to security issues, in addition to the technical and financial aspects in which she was clearly fluent.
Chapter 13
The National Security Institute’s conference room was buzzing with conversations among all members of the defense task force. There was a spark of excitement in the air in preparation for the meeting with the minister of defense. Everyone was taking advantage of the last minutes
before the meeting began to exchange information and catch up. Gideon, Deutsch, and Rogel were standing in the corner of the room with Dan, who had arrived straight from Changi Airport, trying to hear something about the system he had brought with him from the company’s labs in California. Dan also had time to inform Gideon that he had brought along two pairs of Adidas smart shoes, as Gideon had requested, and briefly reported that he had an update on a technological accomplishment the company had made in the area of minidrones.
General Tan had yet to leave his office. He was preparing to meet the minister at the entrance to the National Security Institute building. Tan was wary of the harsh criticism that the minister would occasionally direct at his subordinates. He was well acquainted with the minister, as they had worked together in several roles, and yet the minister’s reactions remained unpredictable to him. Tan had decided that the task force members would update the minister, and he’d had Gideon and Deutsch prepare to speak.
When Tan and the minister entered the conference room, the whispering stopped abruptly. Tan accompanied the minister as he made the rounds, shaking hands. The minister paused next to Chang Mei and exchanged several words with her regarding her impressive past with the Ministry of Defense. Fang Quan Lin, too, received some warm words from the minister, who asked Tan what had brought the accomplished man here. General Tan took care to introduce Gideon, Deutsch, Rogel, and Dan as allies who had come from near and far to take part in the task force’s work.
“Please sit down,” the minister requested. “Thank you for the important work you’ve already done and that you will be required to do in the future. I wanted to hear the latest updates and tell you how important your actions are.”
The head of the Counter Intelligence Division was among the first to speak. He dwelled on the threat to the well-being and economy of Singapore coming from Malaysia, the country’s northern neighbor, which had recently been intensifying. The division head mentioned the threat of the use of explosive charges, describing the steps taken to monitor those entering Singapore. He mentioned that the Johor-Singapore Causeway was still considered a point of vulnerability. The division head ended his presentation by describing the malfunctions that had taken place at the container terminal, mentioning the fear that they might be the first steps in an impending cyber attack. He added the electrical grid, public transportation, and banks as possible targets of future cyber attacks.
“Minister,” said Dr. Deutsch, “I’m proud to be representing the United States on such an important assignment. We’ve recruited our intelligence personnel to assist you, and they’re working in full coordination with the task force and the National Security Institute. The preparations for establishing a defense system are being impressively handled by General Tan.”
“That sounds good,” the minister responded. “Are there any results yet?”
“Minister,” Tan said, “less than an hour ago, we had an alert on the Johor Causeway. We’re currently handling it, and just a few moments ago, the system confirmed the identification of three suspects. The procedure in such cases requires that the preliminary investigation be held in the interrogation facility in a structure next to the causeway. I didn’t want to bombard you with too much information, sir. The preliminary investigation has not been completed yet,” he apologized.
“If I may,” the head of the Counter Intelligence Division said. “I was informed just now that the suspects are three Malaysian students whose names were on our watch list. I still don’t have information on what was found among their possessions and on their laptops. We want to thank the American embassy for the cyber surveillance equipment kit they loaned us. Without it, we couldn’t have reacted this quickly.”
“Good job,” the minister said. “I don’t want to impede your handling of the incident, General Tan. You can dismiss anyone who’s needed in order to deal with the event, and please continue the presentation, but be brief about it.”
“Thank you, Minister.” He turned to the head of the Counter Intelligence Division. “You’re free to leave and manage the handling of the incident. Minister, I’ll keep you posted the moment more coherent findings emerge.”
The minister nodded, and Tan heaved a sigh of relief.
“Ms. Damia Nur, head of the Technology and Communication Department, would you sum up what we know about the container terminal incident for the minister?”
Damia did so gracefully and succinctly.
“Our industry group,” Dr. Chang Mei said, “has also stepped in to react to the threat and has put together a committee of experts that includes the best minds in our various fields, in order to introduce defense systems against cyber attacks. I’ve been appointed as the liaison between the industry committee and the group led by Dr. Gideon Ben Ari.”
“That seems like a welcome initiative and a step in the right direction,” the minister said. “You have a lot of work to do, and I have no intention of wasting your time. Thank you, General Tan, and I await further updates from you.”
Tan walked the minister out of the building and returned to the conference room, declaring that the meeting was over. He would reassemble the task force when comprehensive findings were available, along with an analysis that would facilitate decision-making, he said.
***
The National Security Institute’s lab, placed at Dan’s disposal, was on the cutting edge in terms of technology. Gideon, Deutsch, and Dan quickly assembled at the lab to watch the demonstration of the IOT’s working principle that Dan had brought over from California. First, Dan screened the clip he had prepared at the lab in California. He then put together the system itself.
“The demo is based on a limited number of sensors,” he explained, “but it can convey, to the various industries, the extent to which this is not just a technological concept but something that could already be put to use.”
“That’s impressive and persuasive,” Deutsch said. “And did you really solve your problem with the algorithm?”
“Yes, and I’m entirely satisfied with the direction of the solution you suggested.”
“How did you conclude that it would also work with a large number of sensors? This pilot version doesn’t really overburden the system with too many sensors.”
“I conducted a computer simulation at the company’s labs in California, and it worked like a charm.”
“How do you feel about using this system as a pilot for a system to defend against cyber threats?” Deutsch suggested. “Considering the current technological development of the application, there’s a chance our team could use this tool successfully.”
“I’m not so sure…” Dan was hesitant. “Do you mean that we should abandon our campaign to convince the industries here and give up on the project of applying IOT for commercial uses?”
“I didn’t mean that we should abandon our project, but protecting Singapore from a terrorist threat whose full extent still remains unclear is more urgent at the moment.”
“If I may,” Deutsch intervened, “there’s an angle here that actually supports utilizing IOT for the task force’s purposes. Assuming our pilot is successful and we can move on to installing the sensors and the other system components so that it is designed and suitable for our purposes and, hopefully, demonstrates the capability of neutralizing all threats…”
“That’s a lot of assumptions,” Dan insisted, still having his heart set on the civilian applications, “as well as an optimism that I’d be cautious of relying on too much.”
“Our efforts are actually enjoying a tailwind from the need to resolve the complex threat we’re dealing with. If IOT proves to be a practical solution in the field of defense as well, it’s obvious that more components will need to be produced for the entire system, which will be handled by the industries here. After that phase, assuming it’s successful, you won’t need to make any effort to convince the industries in Singapore to join the
civilian alliance. It’s happened many times in the past that a campaign for advanced technology was first realized in the military realm. It could also be the case in regard to the IOT’s applications.”
“I agree with Deutsch’s analysis. There’s nothing like proven success within the defense field to contribute to persuasion efforts, Dan. There’s no need to appeal to the Singaporean industry executives’ imagination, or their abstract thinking capabilities. We should have our friend Quan Lin join us right now, in the pilot phase. Most of the efforts to construct the full system will have to take place here, Dan, within the local industry, and Quan Lin will be the key to bringing them on board, thanks to his connections.”
“There’s a chance we might manage to build the entire system for the purpose of defending Singapore. It’s not a simple process and, first of all, we need to succeed with the pilot, as soon as possible,” Dan said.
“Can you expand on the topic of drones that you mentioned? I understand that this is your California company’s most ambitious project,” Gideon said.
“When I arrived in California, I found a prototype for a very tiny drone that looked to me like one of the toys my father was having fun with. When we were working on developing the smart running shoes, I was exposed to the whole topic of IOT and discovered that this ‘toy’ might be of interest to us as one of the ‘feelers’ for a future network serving the IOT…”
A faint knock on the lab door reached their ears. The lab manager’s secretary apologized for the interruption, informing them that General Tan wished to see them in his office.
“We’ll continue this later, Dan. We’ll see what we’ve got right now, and where we can take it…”
Chang Mei, Fang Quan Lin, the head of the Counter Intelligence Division, and the commander of the Counter Terrorism Unit were already seated in Tan’s office. Damia was sitting at Tan’s side, ready to transcribe the proceedings.
