This novel is awesome. All the enumeration, sniffing and penetration methods and tools used in the story are all real and up-to-date. A computer game software genius dies and leaves behind the best AI ever created and a kick-ass "daemon" process to automate things. How do you fight evil packets? Go figure it out how the rest of the story unfolds.
So for a change, get out of your chair, away from your computer monitor and pick up the book from the nearest bookstore t. Currently enjoying the Audio Book version for my second reading of the book, and drooling of having my hardcover copy signed by the author.
http://thedaemon.com/
Below is a brief E-mail exchange with the genius behind the book, Daniel Suarez:
Excellent novel Daniel, looking forward to Freedom (TM).
One question though, regarding this line from the novel:
"So far, Gragg had a cache of nearly two thousand high-
net-wort identities to sell on the global market, and the Brazilians and Filipinos
were snapping up everything he offered."
Does this mean that based on your research (and statistics), most of these bad guys lurking around IRC channels are either from Brazil or the Philippines?
I am a Filipino residing here in the Bay Area and I am into VoIP Security, and overall IP-based Systems Security as well.
All the best,
Ron
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Hi Ronald,
Thanks for the kind note. I'm glad you enjoyed Daemon.
When I wrote Daemon back in 2004, Brazil and the Philippines were big
centers for identity theft; however, much of that has since moved to other countries. With the rise of botnets, though, it's increasingly difficult to tell where exploits and penetrations originate (with zombies serving as proxies...).
Best,
D.S.
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Daniel,
Agreed, 2004, those where the days. Now the Philippines is into hosting Call Centers
(and exploiting them) and Brazil is into US-Satellite tapping, lol.
Do you mind if I post your reply to my blog? (http://packetboyperseus.blogspot.com) I am planning to put up a simple personal review so my network of friends can see it and eventually pick it up from the nearest bookstore. I am sure they will love it as well.
All the best,
Ron
Hi Ronald,
My main point is that the future of cyber warfare is going to be driven by botnets and
distributed attacks originating from small groups of individuals (not
nations).
I don't want to sound like I'm 'blaming' that on Russians,
Brazilians, or Filipinos. The root cause of our IT security problem is
the inherently open architecture of global networks and the monoculture
that is modern software.
There are now cyber criminals and cyber warfare
units all around the world, and solving the infrastructural issues is
more important than playing international whack-a-mole with would-be
perpetrators--no matter what country they hail from.
Best,
D.S.
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