by D S Kane
Threat model. Imagine a game of chess. It’s your turn and you’re thinking about all the possible moves your opponent could make, as many turns ahead as you can. Have you left your queen unprotected? Is your king being worked into a corner checkmate? That kind of thinking is what security researchers do when designing a threat model. It’s a catch-all term used to describe the capabilities of the enemy you want to guard against, and your own vulnerabilities. Are you an activist attempting to guard against a state-sponsored hacking team? Your threat model better be pretty robust. Just shoring up the network at your log cabin in the middle of nowhere? Maybe not as much cause to worry.
Token. A small physical device that allows its owner to log in or authenticate into a service. Tokens serve as an extra layer of security on top of a password, for example. The idea is that even if the password or key gets stolen, the hacker would need the actual physical token to abuse it.
Tor. “Tor” is short for “The Onion Router.” Originally developed by the United States Naval Research Laboratory, it’s now used by bad guys (hackers, pedophiles) and good guys (activists, journalists) to anonymize their activities online. The basic idea is that there is a network of computers around the world—some operated by universities, some by individuals, some by the government—that will route your traffic in byzantine ways in order to disguise your true location. The Tor network is this collection of volunteer-run computers. The Tor Project is the nonprofit that maintains the Tor software. The Tor browser is the free piece of software that lets you use Tor. Tor hidden services are websites that can be accessed only through Tor.
Verification (dump). The process by which reporters and security researchers go through hacked data and make sure it’s legitimate. This process is important to make sure the data is authentic, and the claims of anonymous hackers are true, and not just an attempt to get some notoriety or make some money scamming people on the Dark Web.
Virus. A computer virus is a type of malware that typically is embedded and hidden in a program or file. Unlike a worm (see below), it needs human action to spread (such as a human forwarding a virus-infected attachment, or downloading a malicious program.) Viruses can infect computers and steal data, delete data, encrypt it, or mess with it in just about any other way.
VPN. “VPN” stands for “Virtual Private Network.” VPNs use encryption to create a private and secure channel to connect to the internet when you’re on a network you don’t trust (say a Starbucks, or an Airbnb WiFi). Think of a VPN as a tunnel from you to your destination, dug under the regular internet. VPNs allow employees to connect to their employer’s network remotely, and also help regular people protect their connection. VPNs also allow users to bounce off servers in other parts of the world, allowing them to look like they’re connecting from there. This gives them the chance to circumvent censorship, such as China’s Great Firewall, or view Netflix’s US offerings while in Canada. There are endless VPNs, making it almost impossible to decide which ones are the best.
VPN, undetectable or anonymous. A VPN in and of itself is not necessarily anonymous. To be anonymous, it requires a set of architectural parameters and constant shifting of network nodes within the constraints of those parameters. The entire VPN must continuously deconstruct and reconstruct itself with new nodes. Also, the access node has to be part of that activity to make it appear that the access node is a different machine each time—as it generates a new IP address and corresponding false physical-location GPS data every so many seconds or minutes.
Vuln. Abbreviation for “vulnerability.” Another way to refer to bugs or software flaws that can be exploited by hackers.
Warez. Pronounced like the contraction for “where is” (“where’s”), warez refers to pirated software that’s typically distributed via technologies like BitTorrent and Usenet. Warez is sometimes laden with malware, taking advantage of people’s desire for free software.
White hat. A white-hat hacker is someone who hacks with the goal of fixing and protecting systems. As opposed to black-hat hackers (see above), instead of taking advantage of their hacks or the bugs they find to make money illegally, they alert the companies and even help them fix the problem.
WiFi. A wireless network
Worm. A specific type of malware that propagates itself to other computers.
Appendix D.
Bibliography and Further Reading
(sorted by date in YYYYMMDD format)
Here is a primer of articles on Artificial Intelligence (AI), accumulated over the past year.
20180529. The Conversation: The BS and the science of nanotechnology: https://theconversation.com/the-bs-and-the-science-of-nanotechnology-97317
20180503. Machine learning? Neural networks? Here’s your guide to the many flavors of A.I.: https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/types-of-artificial-intelligence/
20180428. Artificial Intelligence: Welcome to the Age of Disruptive Surprise: https://www.thecipherbrief.com/artificial-intelligence-welcome-age-disruptive-surprise
20180304. Researchers are already building the foundation for sentient AI | VentureBeat: https://venturebeat.com/2018/03/03/researchers-are-already-building-the-foundation-for-sentient-ai/
20180223. OpenAI, Oxford and Cambridge AI experts warn of autonomous weapons https://www.cnbc.com/2018/02/21/openai-oxford-and-cambridge-ai-experts-warn-of-autonomous-weapons.html
20180223. AI’s Rapid Advance Should Be Truly Scary If You’re Paying Attention | Inverse https://www.inverse.com/article/41525-artificial-intelligence-can-destroy-humanity-now
20180219 - Here’s where the Pentagon wants to invest in artificial intelligence in 2019: https://www.defensenews.com/intel-geoint/2018/02/16/heres-where-the-pentagon-wants-to-invest-in-artificial-intelligence-in-2019/
20180216. The complexities of ethics and AI: https://www.androidauthority.com/complex-ai-ethics-833133/
20180216. The Key Definitions Of Artificial Intelligence (AI) That Explain Its Importance: https://www.forbes.com/sites/bernardmarr/2018/02/14/the-key-definitions-of-artificial-intelligence-ai-that-explain-its-importance/amp/
20180215. A Renowned Futurist Says We Should Merge With AI to Protect Humanity: https://futurism.com/futurist-merge-with-ai-protect-humanity/
20180131. New Tool Automatically Finds and Hacks Vulnerable Internet-Connected Devices: https://motherboard.vice.com/en_us/article/xw4emj/autosploit-automated-hacking-tool
20180131. New click-to-hack tool: One script to exploit them all and in the darkness TCP bind them: http://www.theregister.co.uk/2018/01/31/auto_hacking_tool/
20180131. This op-ed wasn’t written by AI: https://www.cnn.com/2018/01/29/opinions/ai-job-threats-opinion-vishwanath/index.html
20180131. Without Moral Constraint, China Leading The World In Artificial Intelligence Future – ValueWalk: http://www.valuewalk.com/2018/01/without-moral-constraint-china-leading-world-artificial-intelligence-future/
20180131. Separating Science Fact From Science Hype: How Far off Is the Singularity?: https://futurism.com/separating-science-fact-science-hype-how-far-off-singularity/
20180129. Programmers use TensorFlow AI to turn any webcam into Microsoft Kinect: https://thenextweb.com/artificial-intelligence/2018/01/30/programmers-use-tensorflow-ai-to-turn-any-webcam-into-microsoft-kinect/
20180126. Artificial intelligence cyber-hacking arms race at full throttle: http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Artificial-intelligence-cyber-hacking-arms-race-at-full-throttle-539886
20180118. Ethical AI happens before you write the first line of code | VentureBeat: https://venturebeat.com/2018/01/16/ethical-ai-happens-before-you-write-the-first-line-of-code/
20180112. Decentralized Artificial Intelligence Is Coming: Here’s What You Need To Know: https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbestechcouncil/2018/01/11/decentralized-artificial-intelligence-is-coming-heres-what-you-need-to-know/amp/
20180108. Japanese scientists use artificial intelligence to decode thoughts: https://www.cnbc.com/2018/01/08/japanese-scientists-use-artificial-intell
igence-to-decode-thoughts.html
20180104. DHS confirms data breach: https://www.rawstory.com/2018/01/dhs-confirms-data-breach/
20171230. AI Will Soon Be So Good At Hacking, We’ll Only Be Able To Stop Them With Other AI - Indiatimes.com: https://www.indiatimes.com/technology/science-and-future/ai-will-soon-be-so-good-at-hacking-we-ll-only-be-able-to-stop-them-with-other-ai-336611.html
20171230. A NASA Expert Says This Is The “Ultimate” Test for AI in Space Exploration: https://futurism.com/nasa-expert-ultimate-test-ai-space-exploration/
20171229. AI in 2018: Experts predict what happens next: https://thenextweb.com/insider/2017/12/28/ai-2018-experts-predict-happens-next/
20171228. DARPA Wants to Install Transcranial Ultrasonic Mind Control Devices in Soldiers’ Helmets: https://www.popsci.com/technology/article/2010-09/darpa-wants-mind-control-keep-soldiers-sharp-smart-and-safe
20171212. AI 100: The Artificial Intelligence Startups Redefining Industries: https://www.cbinsights.com/research/artificial-intelligence-top-startups/
20171103. Defense One - Three-Star General Wants AI in Every New Weapon System, by Jack Corrigan
20171102. Defense One - How Robots Will Help the US Navy Avoid Future Collisions, by Robert Tucker
20171121. Defense One - Russia to the United Nations: Don’t Try to Stop Us From Building Killer Robots, Patrick Tucker, http://www.defenseone.com/technology/2017/11/russia-united-nations-dont-try-stop-us-building-killer-robots/142734/?oref=defenseone_today_nl
20171121. Army of None - AUTONOMOUS WEAPONS AND THE FUTURE OF WAR, by Paul Scharre, ISBN 978-0-393-60898-4, http://books.wwnorton.com/books/978-0-393-60898-4/
20171123. Elon Musk basically confirms AI is coming to eradicate the human race, by Bryan Clark, http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-basically-confirms-ai-is-coming-to-eradicate-the-human-race-2017-11
20171123. Hillary Clinton Warns the U.S. is ‘Totally Unprepared’ for AI, by Phillip Tracy, https://www.dailydot.com/debug/hillary-clinton-ai/
20171123. Moral machines: here are 3 ways to teach robots right from wrong, by Vyacheslav Polonski, Network Scientist, Oxford Internet Institute and Jane Zavalishina, CEO, Yandex Data Factory, https://medium.com/world-economic-forum/moral-machines-here-are-3-ways-to-teach-robots-right-from-wrong-ca68cc7b0937
211120. Experts: Artificial Intelligence Could Hijack Brain-Computer Interfaces, by Bryan Johnson, https://futurism.com/experts-artificial-intelligence-hijack-brain-omputer-interfaces/
211120. Types of AI: From Reactive to Self-Aware [INFOGRAPHIC], https://futurism.com/images/types-of-ai-from-reactive-to-self-aware-infographic/
211120. A Powerful Tech Organization Is Working to Protect Us From AI, https://futurism.com/powerful-tech-organization-working-protect-ai/
20171118. What the heck is machine learning, and why is it everywhere these days?, by Luke Dormehl, https://www.digitaltrends.com/cool-tech/what-is-machine-learning-beginners-guide/
20171118. TensorFlow: An open-source software library for Machine Intelligence, https://www.tensorflow.org/
20171118. Pytorch: Tensors and Dynamic neural networks in Python with strong GPU acceleration, https://http://pytorch.org/
20171118. Neuroscience Is Helping Us Build a Machine With Consciousness, https://futurism.com/neuroscience-helping-build-machine-with-consciousness/
20171027. What is consciousness, and could machines have it?, by Stanislas Dehaene, Hakwan Lau and Sid Kouider, http://science.sciencemag.org/content/358/6362/486
20171118. Direct Brain-To-Brain Communication Used in Humans, http://www.iflscience.com/brain/direct-brain-brain-communication-used-humans/
Acknowledgments
My first reader is my spouse, the legendary Andrea Brown, who is also the final arbiter of the quality of my writing. I want to acknowledge that this entire series was spawned by a series of conversations with my “drink of the month” friends, mostly from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, as well as conversations with cypherpunk hacker Steven Schear.
But, so many other people were also crucial in preparing this manuscript for you, the reader.
My critique partners, Al Steagall, Marianne Van Gelder, and Georgia Hughes were instrumental in the final polishing of this manuscript into readable fiction.
I want to thank my publication team, consisting of my editor, Sandra Beris; copyeditor Karl Yambert; graphic designer Jeroen Ten Berge; my formatters Kimberly Hitchens and Barb Elliott of BookNook.biz; my website designer and host Maddee James of xuni.com; my marketing expert Rebecca Berus; and Paul Marotta and Megan Jeanne of the Corporate Law Group, who incorporated The Swiftshadow Group.
I am grateful for all the suggestions and advice I have received but I alone am responsible for the resulting work.
About DS Kane
For a decade, DS Kane served the federal government of the United States as a covert operative without cover. After earning his MBA and becoming a faculty member of NYU’s Stern Graduate School of Business, Kane roamed as a management consultant in countries you’d want to miss on your next vacation, “helping” banks that needed a way to cover their financial tracks for money laundering and weapons delivery. His real job was to discover and report these activities to his government handler.
When his cover was blown, he disappeared from Washington and Manhattan and reinvented himself in Northern California, working with venture capitalists and startup companies.
Now he writes fictionalized accounts of his career episodes, as the Amazon bestselling author of the Spies Lie series. With eight books previously released in the series, Kane now presents Book 9, brAInbender.
