by Uzi Eilam
“You have a very impressive foundry,” Dan told the CEO when they all sat down for a summary meeting in the executive conference room. “Your people seem professional and talented. I hope, and in fact am almost sure, that you can meet our needs.”
“During our visit and the technical discussions,” the Singaporean electronics industry representative chimed in, “I noted that you’re very knowledgeable about the process of manufacturing gallium nitride-based components. Dan and I are looking forward to receiving a formal bid from you in regard to developing the variety of components we discussed, including, of course, schedules and pricing.”
“It’s true that we dedicate plenty of resources to training our employees. More than forty percent of our workers have academic degrees, and half of them are PhDs. We have a group of forward-thinking scientists, which is how we intend to maintain our position at the forefront of technology. Not long ago,” the CEO proudly informed them, “we entered the field of IOT. We see it as a rapidly evolving area that will soon be in need of our products. I’ll make sure you receive the bid in two to three days.”
“Your technological capabilities have strategic importance,” Deutsch said. “I hope you’re taking care to export only to worthy countries. The United States is very touchy about developing technological capabilities in ‘problematic’ countries.”
“We’re aware of this sensitive topic,” the CEO replied, “and also, of course, of the United States’ sensitivity about possible aid to China. You’ve been very clear in expressing your reservations regarding any moves on our part that might, perish the thought, assist China in these areas. So far, we’ve managed to hold our own and not succumb to pressure from China.”
“You’re in good company,” Gideon noted. “Israel also promised the United States to refrain from defense export of advanced technologies to China without ‘coordinating’ it with them. It’s true that the diplomatic and defense crisis due to Israel’s export of surveillance aircraft and drones is currently a thing of the past, but its aftereffects linger on. Tell us, though, sir,” Gideon asked the CEO. “How are you preparing to defend yourself against hostile action by China?”
“Oh…that’s an important, pertinent question,” the CEO replied. “We’re aware of China’s military capabilities and have already encountered significant displays of power on their part.”
“Right,” Gideon said, “but what about threats based on advanced technology? What about cyber threats, regarding which, to the best of our knowledge, the Chinese are consistently improving their capabilities?”
“If I may,” Dan intervened, “the Chinese threat of using cyber technology might actually focus on you at the WIN Corporation, rather than on national infrastructures like the electrical grid and public transportation system. All of us here have to be aware of the possibility of a focused hack of your systems, sabotaging the development and production process.”
“Dan is correct in his analysis of the threat,” Gideon said, “and I think that it would benefit us all to coordinate information on any hostile attacks, no matter how narrow in scope, as well as exchange ideas, and perhaps more, regarding methods of defense. Our project, and I’m sure that many of your other projects as well, must receive maximum protection.”
“You’re right, gentlemen,” WIN’s CEO concurred. “You should remember that the network of our financial relations with mainland China is extensive. Taiwan’s policy assumes that our major investments in China will motivate China not to kill the goose laying golden eggs, although we can’t count on this fully resolving the issue in the particular field we’re dealing with here. Obviously, we’re receiving constant updates and continuously creating specialized defenses. We’ll continue to be in touch, and I will personally monitor the situation.”
During the flight, Gideon and Dan exchanged impressions. Dan was charmed by the technological sophistication in evidence at WIN’s facilities. He was excited by the possibility of having a solution in reach, although the mention of the Chinese threat continued to cast a troubling shadow.
Gideon decided to rely on the impressions of Dan and the Singaporean electronics expert and found no reason to doubt the Taiwanese company’s ability to deliver on its promises. He knew General Tan was making use of his connections on their behalf, and Gideon intended to thank him for this.
Dr. Deutsch was thinking of the detailed report he would need to convey to the CIA. While impressed with WIN’s accomplishments, he was also concerned about the strategic risk to the United States if those capabilities fell into the hands of the Chinese.
Chapter 23
Dan arrived at his surveillance room at the technology lab. In order to enter the room, he had to place his palm on a touch screen and have his right retina scanned. The moment he came in, Dan noticed that something was wrong. Something was off. He quickly surveyed the row of screens. The entire wall of computers was dark.
“What the hell is going on here?” he blurted out, restarting the software using a backup. He also summoned Rogel as well as Tyler Roberts, the American cyber expert, to the lab.
The three spent many hours in Dan’s room at the technology lab. After a while, they managed to restart Dan’s computer system using the equipment Tyler had brought with him. They analyzed the software on the computer, stage by stage, and finally found the malware that had infiltrated the system.
Rogel tracked Dan’s technical dialogue with Tyler curiously. From the moment the malicious program had been identified, it had not taken too long to completely neutralize it. The question of how it had managed to hack a system intended to protect against precisely such events still remained unanswered. Dan was eager to resume his work with the now-revived system. Too much time had been wasted in dealing with the hack and, in the meantime, important information was slipping through their fingers. Gideon and Deutsch joined the three men after Dan had updated them on the resolution of the hacking incident.
“How did it happen? Could we ensure that it doesn’t happen again?” Deutsch asked.
“Malware infiltrated our system,” Tyler, the American expert, replied, “and we still haven’t figured out how it got past the barriers we’ve constructed.”
“Dan?” Gideon asked. “What now?”
“We need time to understand what enabled this hack, but I think we should reactivate the system immediately, rather than lose more information in addition to what we’ve lost in the last few hours.”
“Dan’s right,” Deutsch noted. “Now we need to update General Tan that the system is up and running again. I suggest we keep this incident to ourselves.”
“I agree,” Gideon said. “But the three of you have to ensure that this issue doesn’t reoccur.”
“I believe,” Rogel chimed in, “that this was a limited action.”
“What does that mean?” Gideon exclaimed. “What exactly are you getting at?”
“Dan will correct me if I’m wrong,” Rogel replied, “but with this action, they might have been conveying a concrete threat, signaling to us that they’ve identified our methods of blocking them. I hope that if they did manage to hack our system, we stopped them before they had time to get entrenched and cause significant damage.”
“That is an unpleasant possibility,” Dan confirmed. “The most important thing right now is to find the loophole through which they managed to enter the system. I’m going to go update Tan. I’ll be back shortly.”
***
General Tan remained pensive and perturbed after Dan left his office. Suddenly, he felt as if he was no longer in control. His office manager knocked lightly on his door and offered him a glass of tea, and Tan accepted it, but he immediately added that she should leave him alone and hold his phone calls, including urgent ones. Tan was overwhelmed by the variety of threats to which his staff and the task force members were introducing him. He was debating about determining the threat levels as well as the pr
iority of dealing with them. The situation used to be easier, he thought, when the threats were clear and included infiltrators entering Singapore and the use of explosives. New communication channels, computers, and the use of cyber technologies were too much for him. Dr. Gideon Ben Ari, he decided, looked experienced and smarter than everyone else around him. Tan determined to ask Gideon to present an analysis of the array of threats, which would serve as a basis for in-depth discussion by the task force.
Tan contacted his assistant on the internal line. “Please ask Dr. Ben Ari to come here. Tell him it’s urgent.”
The office manager sensed her manager’s unease and immediately concluded it was related to the meeting with Dan. She called Gideon immediately and he answered instantly, telling her he would be on his way to the office within a few minutes.
The general’s distress, which was unprecedented, was impossible to ignore.
“What I’ve heard from Dan is troubling, but it fits in with the evidence of various looming threats. I can’t get my thoughts in order,” he admitted.
“We are indeed dealing with a broad spectrum of threats, some of which may only be hypothetical, but there’s no way of knowing,” Gideon concurred. “There are still questions about the vulnerability revealed in the defenses of Dan’s system. What do you actually want me to do, Tan?”
“I’m convening the task force to discuss all the threats we’re aware of, and once we’re done, we’ll decide on how to proceed and on a division of roles. Please prepare the discussion’s opening presentation. Can you get it done by tomorrow?”
“If you don’t mind, I’ll consult with Deutsch and get an update from Dan. In any case, I don’t think we should bring up the breach of Dan’s system in the general discussion. Until we find the answers, only those who were already exposed to the incident should know about it.”
“That’s clear, and is fine with me,” Tan promised.
***
“Tan asked me to prepare an opening presentation for the entire task force. He wants us to present all possible threats, along with assessments and a rating of their chances of occurrence,” Gideon began during the consultation in Dan’s control room, once Deutsch had arrived as well. “I wanted us to discuss the threats in general, but it seems more urgent to find out what made your screens go dark, Dan.”
“From a conversation with Tyler, our man at the embassy,” Deutsch remarked, “I understand you created a special code for entering the system, which is known only to Rogel, Tyler, and you.”
“That’s true. It’s not just password protection, but an entire sophisticated system that can react dynamically to unauthorized entry.”
“And do you have any theories on what happened?” Gideon asked.
“It’s possible that someone connected to one of the laptops belonging to the three of us—”
“Tyler,” Deutsch interjected, “is well trained, and I know he has his laptop with him at all times. NSA procedure requires depositing any computers with confidential information at the office. I find it hard to believe that he’s the source of the leak.”
“My laptop hasn’t left this room, either,” Dan said. “I hope Rogel is also being as careful as he should.”
“You should talk to Rogel, Gideon. In any case, we have to tighten our supervision over computer security,” Deutsch said.
“I’m already designing a new firewall, and I’ll incorporate some new ideas I’ve thought of during the hours when we were trying to restart the system.”
“That’s great,” Deutsch and Gideon agreed. “Do it as quickly as possible.”
***
Tan opened the task force meeting taking place in the conference room. “Good morning to you. Our itinerary today consists of a summary assessment of the overall threats Singapore is facing. I’ve asked Dr. Ben Ari to begin with a review of the topic, and then we’ll conduct an open discussion. I want to share my impression that there is a major accumulation of threats and that, ultimately, it’s important that we identify them and assess the chances of each of them being realized. Gideon, we’re listening.”
“The overall threat forecast still includes, primarily, a major terrorist attack whose success the Iranians view as essential. They’ve conducted plenty of preparations using Hezbollah teams based in Malaysia. There’s vague information on agents being recruited or the presence of sleeper agents in Singapore, and perhaps of Singaporean citizens acting as collaborators as well. I understand from Dan that the Singaporean bank system might be a target for hostile cyber action, and that the rapid subway system, the MRT, is at risk as well.”
“Recently,” Dan interjected, “I’ve seen some information about targeting the air-traffic control system at Changi Airport.”
“What about further steps to address the attack on the terminal container conveyance system?” Rogel asked. “I don’t think they’ve given up on that yet.”
“Far from it,” Gideon replied. “I actually think that’s going to be their top priority. You have to remember that, in addition to paralyzing the automatic routing of containers, they’re going to continue their efforts to use seemingly innocuous containers to smuggle in people and explosives. As you know, Iran has a strategic goal that goes beyond the attacks in Singapore, which is preparing for terrorist attacks in Israel carried out by Hezbollah and Hamas, as well as attacks in the United States. Gaining experience in infiltrating ports through the use of shipping containers is the key to that.”
“This is a broad spectrum of threats, ladies and gentlemen.” Tan attempted to sound businesslike and calm. “There’s no way we can deal with all of them successfully. We have to handle all of them simultaneously, while granting priority to the most dangerous.”
Dr. Chang Mei joined the discussion. “You’re absolutely right. When it comes to defending against cyber attacks, I’ll instruct our industry experts to join the teams that the threatened institutions have to establish. I believe the task force already active at our central bank should be further enhanced. We should also establish a special task force dealing with the area of transportation, as well as a team led by Mr. Fang Quan Lin, which will focus on the threat to aviation.”
“Well said, Chang Mei,” Tan said. “I’ll instruct that the task forces you recommended here be quickly established. The threat of local terrorist attacks will be handled by a team from the National Security Institute.”
“I suggest that Dr. Chang Mei, Dr. Deutsch, and I monitor all of the teams’ activity. I hope you agree, Chang Mei and Deutsch,” Tan said.
The two nodded and, for the first time since that morning, Tan smiled. Damia was frantically documenting the proceedings, and she heaved a sigh of relief when she saw her manager looking calmer. She quickly passed the summary of the discussion on to the administrative assistants to be typed, feeling impatient to meet Osman. She wanted to update him on what had been said in the discussion and find out whether he was aware of the cyber threat looming over the bank where he worked.
Gideon decided to encourage Dan to contact Ronit at Singapore’s central bank. He didn’t want to rely solely on the team the bank had established and thought that, at some point, Dan would have to delve deeper into the bank’s affairs. The topic of fund channeling and money laundering, controlled by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, also seemed important to him, as well as being related to the threats against the banking system.
Dan was once again feeling the weight of responsibility on his shoulders. He knew he would have to work hard in order to obtain information for the newly established teams, and there was still the problem of the hacking of his system, which would certainly require plenty of precious time to investigate.
Chapter 24
The Toyota drove slowly down the main street of Kuala Lumpur’s luxury suburb. Only wealthy Malaysian citizens and a handful of foreign visitors could afford to purchase a villa here. The head of the Malaysian Royal
Intelligence Corps, General Razek, had handed the house over to the Iranians, providing for all their needs. This was an integral part of the conditions the two friendly generals had agreed upon.
A breathtaking garden surrounded the three-story house, and the gardeners were clearly masters of their craft. The roomy structure also included two underground floors, and the basement was intentionally soundproofed to suppress the noise produced by the shooting range it housed. The neighboring houses belonged to foreign residents, Chinese merchants from Beijing and Shanghai who chose to spend their vacations in Malaysia. No one inquired what was going on in the house, where there was never any indication of human presence during daylight hours.
The car entered the opened gate, silently gliding down the gravel road to the parking garage adjacent to the house. The driver swiftly opened the car doors, and the two passengers entered the living room directly, wasting no time.
They were greeted by an officer from the Revolutionary Guard’s Quds Force. “Welcome to the training facility, General Ja’afari. And welcome, Dr. Fakari,” added the officer, who was in charge of special training at the facility. A unique program had been put together to train the fighter teams from Quds Force and from Hezbollah’s Special Forces for the planned attacks in Singapore. “I’m honored to present to you the accomplishments of the fighters who have been through the training. They’ve experienced every possible scenario and are ready to carry out any order.” The officer did not try to hide the admiration in his eyes as he gazed upon the former all-powerful commander of the Revolutionary Guard.
“Thank you,” Ja’afari replied brusquely. “That’s exactly why I’m here. What’s on the agenda?”
“If I may, sir, we’ll start with some light refreshments prepared by our dedicated Malaysian housekeeper. It won’t take long,” the officer hastily added, “and will allow you to get an impression of the fighters’ personalities.”