#Secure Remote Network Access

[agileseen24]

How to check if your computer is being monitored

In today's digital age, the issue of privacy and security is more pressing than ever. Whether you’re a casual user or a professional, understanding if your computer is being monitored is crucial. This guide will delve into the signs of monitoring, tools to detect it, and steps to safeguard your privacy.

Understanding Computer Monitoring

Before diving into the signs and detection methods, it’s essential to understand what computer monitoring entails. Monitoring can involve tracking your online activity, keystrokes, file access, and even webcam usage. This can be done by malicious software (malware), spyware, or legitimate monitoring software used by employers or parents.

Types of Monitoring

Malware and Spyware: These are malicious programs that can be installed without your knowledge. They can track your activities and send data back to an attacker.

Keyloggers: This type of software records keystrokes, capturing sensitive information like passwords and personal messages.

Remote Access Tools (RATs): These tools allow someone to control your computer remotely, monitoring your screen, accessing files, and even using your webcam.

Legitimate Monitoring Software: Often used in corporate environments, this software tracks employee activity for productivity or compliance reasons. While legal, it can still infringe on personal privacy.

Signs That Your Computer May Be Monitored

Recognizing the signs that your computer might be monitored is the first step in protecting yourself.

1. Unusual System Behavior

Slow Performance: If your computer suddenly becomes sluggish, it might be due to monitoring software consuming resources.

Frequent Crashes or Freezes: Unexpected system crashes can indicate underlying issues, including malware.

2. Suspicious Programs

Unknown Applications: Check your installed programs for any unfamiliar applications. Many monitoring tools disguise themselves as legitimate software.

High Resource Usage: Use the Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac) to look for processes consuming excessive CPU or memory.

3. Network Activity

Unexplained Network Traffic: Use network monitoring tools to check for unusual data being sent or received. High outbound traffic could indicate that data is being transmitted without your consent.

Blocked Ports: Monitoring software often uses specific ports to communicate. If you notice blocked ports that you didn’t configure, it could be a red flag.

4. Webcam and Microphone Behavior

Indicator Light Activation: If your webcam or microphone is being accessed without your knowledge, the indicator light may be on even when you're not using it.

Unexpected Recordings: Check for unusual files that could be recordings made by your microphone or webcam.

5. Browser Behavior

Unusual Browser Extensions: Check for extensions you didn’t install. Some can track your browsing activity.

Unexpected Redirects: Frequent redirects to strange sites or altered search results can indicate tracking.

6. Security Alerts

Antivirus Notifications: If your antivirus software frequently alerts you about threats, it may indicate that monitoring software is present.

Firewall Alerts: Unusual outgoing connection attempts can suggest that an unauthorized program is trying to access the internet.

Tools to Detect Monitoring Software

If you suspect that your computer is being monitored, several tools can help you investigate further.

1. Antivirus and Anti-Malware Software

Using a reliable antivirus or anti-malware program can help detect and remove malicious software. Some popular options include:

Malwarebytes: Excellent for detecting and removing malware and spyware.

Norton: Offers comprehensive protection against various types of threats.

2. Network Monitoring Tools

Tools like Wireshark can help analyze network traffic and identify suspicious activity. You can monitor data packets to see if there are any unexpected connections.

3. Task Manager / Activity Monitor

Regularly check the Task Manager (Windows) or Activity Monitor (Mac) for processes that look unfamiliar or suspicious. Research any questionable applications before taking action.

4. System Scans

Use built-in tools to perform system scans:

Windows Defender: Run a full scan for malware and spyware.

Mac’s Built-in Security Features: Use the Malware Removal Tool for additional scanning.

5. Firewall Monitoring

Make sure your firewall is active and monitor logs for any unusual activity. A firewall can block unauthorized access attempts and alert you to potential threats.

Steps to Protect Your Privacy

If you determine that your computer is being monitored or you want to prevent it from happening, follow these steps to enhance your security.

1. Update Your Software Regularly

Keeping your operating system and all software up-to-date ensures that you have the latest security patches. This reduces vulnerabilities that can be exploited by monitoring tools.

2. Use Strong Passwords

Implement strong, unique passwords for all your accounts and devices. Consider using a password manager to generate and store complex passwords securely.

3. Enable Two-Factor Authentication

Two-factor authentication (2FA) adds an extra layer of security by requiring a second form of verification, making unauthorized access much more difficult.

4. Install a Firewall

Ensure you have a firewall activated, whether it’s built-in (like Windows Firewall) or third-party. This helps control incoming and outgoing network traffic.

5. Be Cautious with Downloads

Avoid downloading software from untrusted sources, as this can introduce malware to your system. Always verify the legitimacy of software before installing it.

6. Regularly Review Permissions

Check application permissions on your device regularly. Revoke access for any apps that do not need to access your camera, microphone, or location.

7. Use a VPN

A Virtual Private Network (VPN) encrypts your internet connection, making it difficult for anyone to monitor your online activities.

8. Educate Yourself

Stay informed about the latest cybersecurity threats and best practices. Knowledge is your best defense against monitoring.

When to Seek Professional Help

If you suspect your computer is being monitored and cannot identify or remove the software yourself, consider seeking professional help. Cybersecurity experts can perform a thorough analysis of your system and provide tailored solutions.

Conclusion

Understanding if your computer is being monitored is vital for protecting your privacy. By recognizing the signs, utilizing detection tools, and implementing security measures, you can safeguard your personal information. Remember, vigilance is key in the ever-evolving landscape of digital security. Stay informed, proactive, and secure in your online presence.

[blackmoreops]

SSH magics

SSH tunneling (also known as SSH port forwarding) is powerful technique that allows system administrators to create secure encrypted connections between servers, bypass firewalls, and access services securely across networks. Its also known as SSH magics! Whether you’re trying to securely access internal services, create SOCKS proxies, or establish reverse tunnels to overcome network…

[olivergisttv]

How to Set Up a Personal Cloud Storage System

In a world dominated by online services and ever-growing data needs, setting up your personal cloud storage system is a game changer. Whether you’re tired of relying on third-party services or simply want more control over your data, a personal cloud storage setup offers the flexibility, security, and scalability you need. Here’s how to set up your own cloud storage system, step by step.   1.…

[techdirectarchive]

How to create a Tailscale VPN connection to my Synology NAS

This article discusses how to create a Tailscale VPN connection to my Synology NAS. According to their documentation, Tailscale simplifies secure connections to your Network-Attached Storage (NAS) devices using WireGuard. Please see how to create New Users and Join Synology NAS to Active Directory, DSM Security: How to Protect Synology DS923+ NAS, and how to “Configure VPN on Windows Server: How…

[vivencyglobal]

The Advantages of Using VivencyGlobal’s Surveillance Solutions

Vivency Global is a leading provider of surveillance solutions that help organizations protect their assets, people, and operations. With over a decade of experience in designing, implementing, and managing complex security systems, Vivency Global has a proven track record of delivering high-quality solutions that meet the diverse needs of its clients. In this blog post, we will explore some of the advantages of using VivencyGlobal’s surveillance solutions and how they can benefit your business.

Comprehensive coverage

VivencyGlobal’s surveillance solutions offer comprehensive coverage of your premises, both indoors and outdoors. They use advanced technologies such as high-definition cameras, thermal imaging, facial recognition, license plate recognition, and analytics to detect and deter potential threats, identify suspicious behavior, and provide actionable intelligence to your security team. Whether you need to monitor your office building, warehouse, parking lot, or retail store, Vivency Global can design a customized solution that fits your needs and budget.

Real-time monitoring

VivencyGlobal’s surveillance solutions enable real-time monitoring of your premises from any location, using any device with an internet connection. This means you can stay connected to your security system 24/7 and receive alerts and notifications in case of any security breaches, unauthorized access, or other abnormal activities. You can also review live and recorded footage, manage access control, and communicate with your security team or law enforcement agencies using the same platform.

Scalability and flexibility

VivencyGlobal’s surveillance solutions are scalable and flexible, meaning they can adapt to your changing security requirements as your business grows or evolves. Whether you need to add more cameras, upgrade your software, integrate with other systems, or migrate to a cloud-based platform, Vivency Global can provide you with a seamless and cost-effective solution that minimizes disruption and maximizes value.

Expertise and support

VivencyGlobal’s surveillance solutions are backed by a team of experienced security professionals who understand the latest trends, technologies, and regulations in the industry. They can provide you with expert advice, training, and support throughout the lifecycle of your security system, from design to deployment to maintenance. They can also help you optimize your system’s performance, reduce false alarms, and minimize downtime, ensuring that your security system operates at peak efficiency.

Compliance and privacy

VivencyGlobal’s surveillance solutions are designed to comply with the highest standards of privacy and data protection. They use encryption, authentication, and access control mechanisms to secure your data and prevent unauthorized access, disclosure, or modification. They also adhere to local and international regulations such as GDPR, HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and SOX, ensuring that your security system meets the legal and ethical requirements of your industry and jurisdiction.

In conclusion, VivencyGlobal’s surveillance solutions offer many advantages that can help you enhance your security posture, reduce your risk exposure, and improve your operational efficiency. Whether you need to prevent theft, vandalism, or violence, or monitor compliance, productivity, or customer experience, Vivency Global can provide you with a customized solution that meets your needs and exceeds your expectations. To learn more about VivencyGlobal’s surveillance solutions, contact us today.

[sexymemecoin]

The Metaverse: A New Frontier in Digital Interaction

The concept of the metaverse has captivated the imagination of technologists, futurists, and businesses alike. Envisioned as a collective virtual shared space, the metaverse merges physical and digital realities, offering immersive experiences and unprecedented opportunities for interaction, commerce, and creativity. This article delves into the metaverse, its potential impact on various sectors, the technologies driving its development, and notable projects shaping this emerging landscape.

What is the Metaverse?

The metaverse is a digital universe that encompasses virtual and augmented reality, providing a persistent, shared, and interactive online environment. In the metaverse, users can create avatars, interact with others, attend virtual events, own virtual property, and engage in economic activities. Unlike traditional online experiences, the metaverse aims to replicate and enhance the real world, offering seamless integration of the physical and digital realms.

Key Components of the Metaverse

Virtual Worlds: Virtual worlds are digital environments where users can explore, interact, and create. Platforms like Decentraland, Sandbox, and VRChat offer expansive virtual spaces where users can build, socialize, and participate in various activities.

Augmented Reality (AR): AR overlays digital information onto the real world, enhancing user experiences through devices like smartphones and AR glasses. Examples include Pokémon GO and AR navigation apps that blend digital content with physical surroundings.

Virtual Reality (VR): VR provides immersive experiences through headsets that transport users to fully digital environments. Companies like Oculus, HTC Vive, and Sony PlayStation VR are leading the way in developing advanced VR hardware and software.

Blockchain Technology: Blockchain plays a crucial role in the metaverse by enabling decentralized ownership, digital scarcity, and secure transactions. NFTs (Non-Fungible Tokens) and cryptocurrencies are integral to the metaverse economy, allowing users to buy, sell, and trade virtual assets.

Digital Economy: The metaverse features a robust digital economy where users can earn, spend, and invest in virtual goods and services. Virtual real estate, digital art, and in-game items are examples of assets that hold real-world value within the metaverse.

Potential Impact of the Metaverse

Social Interaction: The metaverse offers new ways for people to connect and interact, transcending geographical boundaries. Virtual events, social spaces, and collaborative environments provide opportunities for meaningful engagement and community building.

Entertainment and Gaming: The entertainment and gaming industries are poised to benefit significantly from the metaverse. Immersive games, virtual concerts, and interactive storytelling experiences offer new dimensions of engagement and creativity.

Education and Training: The metaverse has the potential to revolutionize education and training by providing immersive, interactive learning environments. Virtual classrooms, simulations, and collaborative projects can enhance educational outcomes and accessibility.

Commerce and Retail: Virtual shopping experiences and digital marketplaces enable businesses to reach global audiences in innovative ways. Brands can create virtual storefronts, offer unique digital products, and engage customers through immersive experiences.

Work and Collaboration: The metaverse can transform the future of work by providing virtual offices, meeting spaces, and collaborative tools. Remote work and global collaboration become more seamless and engaging in a fully digital environment.

Technologies Driving the Metaverse

5G Connectivity: High-speed, low-latency 5G networks are essential for delivering seamless and responsive metaverse experiences. Enhanced connectivity enables real-time interactions and high-quality streaming of immersive content.

Advanced Graphics and Computing: Powerful graphics processing units (GPUs) and cloud computing resources are crucial for rendering detailed virtual environments and supporting large-scale metaverse platforms.

Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI enhances the metaverse by enabling realistic avatars, intelligent virtual assistants, and dynamic content generation. AI-driven algorithms can personalize experiences and optimize virtual interactions.

Wearable Technology: Wearable devices, such as VR headsets, AR glasses, and haptic feedback suits, provide users with immersive and interactive experiences. Advancements in wearable technology are critical for enhancing the metaverse experience.

Notable Metaverse Projects

Decentraland: Decentraland is a decentralized virtual world where users can buy, sell, and develop virtual real estate as NFTs. The platform offers a wide range of experiences, from gaming and socializing to virtual commerce and education.

Sandbox: Sandbox is a virtual world that allows users to create, own, and monetize their gaming experiences using blockchain technology. The platform's user-generated content and virtual real estate model have attracted a vibrant community of creators and players.

Facebook's Meta: Facebook's rebranding to Meta underscores its commitment to building the metaverse. Meta aims to create interconnected virtual spaces for social interaction, work, and entertainment, leveraging its existing social media infrastructure.

Roblox: Roblox is an online platform that enables users to create and play games developed by other users. With its extensive user-generated content and virtual economy, Roblox exemplifies the potential of the metaverse in gaming and social interaction.

Sexy Meme Coin (SEXXXY): Sexy Meme Coin integrates metaverse elements by offering a decentralized marketplace for buying, selling, and trading memes as NFTs. This unique approach combines humor, creativity, and digital ownership, adding a distinct flavor to the metaverse landscape. Learn more about Sexy Meme Coin at Sexy Meme Coin.

The Future of the Metaverse

The metaverse is still in its early stages, but its potential to reshape digital interaction is immense. As technology advances and more industries explore its possibilities, the metaverse is likely to become an integral part of our daily lives. Collaboration between technology providers, content creators, and businesses will drive the development of the metaverse, creating new opportunities for innovation and growth.

Conclusion

The metaverse represents a new frontier in digital interaction, offering immersive and interconnected experiences that bridge the physical and digital worlds. With its potential to transform social interaction, entertainment, education, commerce, and work, the metaverse is poised to revolutionize various aspects of our lives. Notable projects like Decentraland, Sandbox, Meta, Roblox, and Sexy Meme Coin are at the forefront of this transformation, showcasing the diverse possibilities within this emerging digital universe.

For those interested in the playful and innovative side of the metaverse, Sexy Meme Coin offers a unique and entertaining platform. Visit Sexy Meme Coin to explore this exciting project and join the community.

[kissingraine]

(might become a Starscream x reader, Shockwave x reader thang,,,,) eventual smut! 18+

Midnight City — TFP Soundwave x f!Reader

Draped in fog and soft neon, the Nemesis cruised slowly across the dark skies. Undetected and reeking of Decepticon malevolence as always yet undetected. The small lights that flickered below were as ignorant as ever, inferior lifeforms that were too busy eyeing their tiny glowing boxes to even look up. Soundwave knew without a doubt that they spent twenty four full hours of the week with their heads bent down. No mistaking it's become an issue among them.

Thin servos dancing over the keys as he watches the human settlement breathe, each streetlamp glistening faintly; a city that never sleeps. His sources tell him. Flickers of data, EM fields that pulse—not enough to disrupt the way his processor regulates but just enough to make the probes attached to his chassis writhe in distaste, primitive security networks buzzing with naive confidence. He's been relentlessly tracking down a signal that's made contact with the Earth's atmosphere a little over two nights ago.

It flashes every few irregular intervals, making it hard to pin down where the signal begins before fizzling out again. Like a dying star. Soundwave doesn't stop, can't stop. Not when this might be the only thing that can fix their current dilemma and he's been alone for so long. He's not sure how much time has passed. The ship's command left in his servos as their forces went on separate paths, vowed not to stray from the cause just had more creative 'ideas' on how to effectively mobilize their forces. He stayed on the Nemesis to keep things within control, to keep himself in control. Knows that his cassettes are also worrying about their situation but when they see him so composed, can feel that relief as it washes over him.

That signal, so similar to that relic's nature... but he can't be too sure just yet. Needs to keep probing, combing through the infantile network that the natives possessed.

Lazerbeak suggested to scout, but he turned it down. This organic settlement is a little too crowded for his liking. Can't risk them getting found. Not with their resources limited. He's been rationing their energon preserves too and he's this close to finding another hotspot of undisturbed fuel. Just enough to get them off of this miserable ball of dirt. The others can't be faring too well, can they? His objective was apparent, precise: locate the signal. Which he watched disappear into the city near the sewege systems.

Not exactly pleasant but he isn't Knockout enough to be picky about it. A red dot appears on his screen and his servos are quick to move, tendrils moving in to help. This is the first time Lazerbeak's seen him get remotely excited over something like a red spot on the multi-screens of his control panel. It's faint but emits a similar wavelength to the one Soundwave's filed away in his data banks.

It's in an area just near the organic's underground mode of transportation. Figures. It's more complicated to single out the signal's location especially if it was underground. Soundwave had discovered pretty recently that layers of concrete, reinforced metal buried beneath the earth didn't allow currents of data to run as easily.

And he'd rather not part with the ship to risk getting his processor overwhelmed with human thoughts and volatile emotions. So he does what he's best at. Infiltrate surface network and seeping into it like viscous liquid. It's fascinating how they make it so easy to extract information from them with their fragile digital infrastructure, trembling with aging code—an easy point of access. Doesn't even need to knock when the firewall practically crumbles at his technological prowess.

• Glancing at the clock, it's almost time for you to close the cafe. It had been a hectic day with Ma finally taking over the latter half of your shift so you could lay back and relax on bean bag chairs in the basement. Said basement was a small arcade area where a select few people in your block would come and relax, too. The space just big enough for a small crowd. It was mostly you and your friends who used it, though. One of their siblings, an electronically inclined person as you like to call them, had their computer setup placed in one of the cozy corners.

• It's... beeping, the screen flashing in red with warnings popping up in a dozen windows. That can't be good, can it...?

• Granted you have no clue how to code things and the like. Or just code in general. You've called your friend's sibling's name. Once, twice, but no response and the very undeniable fact that there might be a virus or worse... someone trying to hack into their device was enough to alarm you.

Interference... suddenly. Out of all the humans on this sad excuse for a mudball, there's one tenacious enough to not only interrupt Soundwave's search for data but crudely walk straight into his network with intent. Curious and reckless, his servos stop moving something that Lazerbeak doesn't fail to notice as he and his fellow cassette look at each other. And then he's back into it, he narrows the scan and slices through the city's digital haze to trace the point of origin. Protocol indicating he should move quietly and observe. It's difficult to keep track of, being so close to their manmade tunnels, slipping through his iron grasp and fading into an almost ambient noise.

• You don't know how you're doing this, you don't even know why and for all you know your friend's sibling could have their entire information compromised! But your fingers move as though possessed and you find yourself unable to stop. And now you wonder if it had anything to do with that incident from a week ago. But you definitely know that someone is actively trying to hack the computer, “You're mine now.” You murmur to yourself, responding in plain text and all the amount of taunt you could muster in you.

Before his tracer could lock on, having every bit the intent to scare this human off by revealing their location because that always worked—a spew of numbers and words strung together with an image attached. His tentacles twitch in anticipation, coiling around itself as his head tilts in instinct. And there you are, on his screen forming visuals on who the very human that's dared to intercept him. Bold move, human, he all but manages to swallow the growl building in his chassis. And that gesture... your middle finger's raised. Soundwave might not know what that means but he'll assume that you're insulting him considering the words that appear right after it.

“Come and get me. Coward.”

Next

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Joseph Cox’s “Dark Wire”

NEXT WEEKEND (June 7–9), I'm in AMHERST, NEW YORK to keynote the 25th Annual Media Ecology Association Convention and accept the Neil Postman Award for Career Achievement in Public Intellectual Activity.

No one was better positioned to tell the tale of the largest sting operation in world history than veteran tech reporter Joseph Cox, and tell it he did, in Dark Wire, released today:

https://www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/joseph-cox/dark-wire/9781541702691/

Cox – who was one of Motherboard's star cybersecurity reporters before leaving to co-found 404 Media – has spent years on the crimephone beat, tracking vendors who sold modded phones (first Blackberries, then Android phones) to criminal syndicates with the promise that they couldn't be wiretapped by law-enforcement.

It's possible that some of these phones were secure over long timescales, but all the ones we know about are ones that law enforcement eventually caught up with, usually by capturing the company's top founders explicitly stating that the phones were sold to assist in the commission of crimes, and admitting to remote-wiping phones to obstruct law-enforcement options. It's hard to prove intent but it gets a lot easier when the criminal puts that intent into writing (that's true of tech executives, too!):

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/03/big-tech-cant-stop-telling-on-itself/

But after a particularly spectacular bust landed one of the top crimephone sales reps in the FBI's power, they got a genuinely weird idea: why not start their own crimephone company?

The plan was to build an incredibly secure, best-of-breed crimephone, one with every feature that a criminal would want to truly insulate themselves from law enforcement while still offering everything a criminal could need to plan and execute crimes.

They would tap into the network of crimephone distributors around the world, not telling them who they were truly selling for – nor that every one of these phones had a back-door that allowed law-enforcement to access every single message, photo and file.

This is the beginning of an incredible tale that is really two incredible tales. The first is the story of the FBI and its partners as they scaled up Anom, their best-of-breed crimephone business. This is a (nearly) classic startup tale, full of all-nighters, heroic battles against the odds, and the terror and exhilaration of "hockey-stick" growth.

The difference between this startup and the others we're already familiar with is obvious: the FBI and its global partners are acting under a totally different set of constraints to normal startup founders. For one thing, their true mission and identity must be kept totally secret. For another, they have to navigate the bureaucratic barriers of not one, but many governments and their courts, constitutions and procedures.

Finally, there are the stakes: while the bulk of the crimes that the FBI targets with Anom are just the usual futile war-on-drugs nonsense (albeit at a never-before seen scale), they also routinely encounter murders, kidnappings, tortures, firebombings, and other serious crimes, either in the planning phase, or after they have been committed. They have to make moment-to-moment calls about when and whether to do something about these, as each action taken based on intercepts from Anom threatens to tip the FBI's hand.

That's one of the startup stories in Cox's book. The other one is the crime startup, the one that the hapless criminal syndicates that sign up to distribute Anom devices find themselves in the middle of. They, too, are experiencing hockey-stick growth. They, too, have a fantastically lucrative tiger by the tail. And they, too, have a unique set of challenges that make this startup different from any other.

The obvious difference is that they are involved in global criminal conspiracies. They have to both grow and remain hidden. The tradecraft and skullduggery are fascinating, in the manner of any great crime procedural tale. But there's another constraint: these criminals are competing with one another to corner the market on these incredibly lucrative phones. Being part of violent, global criminal conspiracies, they don't confine themselves to the normal Silicon Valley crimes of violating antitrust law – they are engaged in all-out warfare.

These two startups are, of course, the same startup, but only one side knows it. As Cox weaves these two tales together – along with glimpses into the lives of the hapless gig-work developers in Asia who are developing and maintaining the Anom platform – we get front seat in a series of high-speed, high-stakes near-collisions between these two groups.

And it's not always the cops who have the advantage. When an ambitious mobster figures out how to clone the "black boxes" that initialize new Anom phones, the FBI are caught flatfooted as the number of Anom devices in the hands of criminals balloons, producing a volume of intercepts that vastly exceeds their processing capacity.

Cox has been on this story for a decade, and it shows. He has impeccable sourcing and encyclopedic access to the court records and other public details that allow him to reproduce many of the most dramatic scenes in the Anom caper verbatim. This really shines in the final section of the book, when the FBI and its partners decide to roll up the company with a series of global arrests that culminate in a triumphant press-conference in which the true masters of Anom are revealed.

As a privacy and encryption advocate, there were moments in this story that made me a little uncomfortable. There are places where the FBI is chafing at the constitutional limits on its surveillance powers where we can't help buy sympathize with these "good guys" going after "bad guys." But this the the FBI, a lawless, unaccountable secret police who routinely bypass those limits by secretly buying data from sleazy data-brokers, or illegally sharing data with the NSA.

The conclusion really hammers home the point that the FBI's problem isn't constitutional niceties. Despite seizing hundreds of tons of illegal drugs and arresting thousands of high-ranking criminal syndicate bosses, Anom made no difference in the drug trade. Prohibition, after all, just makes criminals more wealthy and powerful. The Anom raids were, at worst, the cost of doing business – and at best, they were a global reset that cleared the board of established actors so that other criminals could seize their turf.

But even though Anom didn't triumph over crime, Dark Wire is a triumph. The book's out today, and there will shortly be a Netflix adaptation based on it, directed by Jason Bateman:

https://deadline.com/2022/09/jason-bateman-netflix-21-laps-dark-wire-surveillance-gangs-movie-1235130444/

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/04/anom-nom-nom/the-call-is-coming-from-inside-the-ndrangheta

[justafewberries]

Beetee's failed attempt to hack the capitol coms leading to punishment with Ampert is either evidence that the attack served a greater rebel organization

Or

Beetee wanted to do a mega attack that would create that rebel organization from the network of cells.

If it's the latter then a possible rebel tendency towards mega propo attacks(blowing up arenas) could be established.

Though most d12 rebel action besides posters is based on escaping d12 or sabatoging mine production(in CF we see more examples of this in other districts).

I don't think Beetee was trying to communicate through the system:

“It’s because I’m being punished for coming up with a plan to sabotage the Capitol’s communication system. I’m too valuable to kill, but my son is disposable.”

He was trying to sabotage it. He was trying to prohibit something from being communicated, or just take the systems down entirely. However, we do not know when he tried to sabotage them. It could have been years prior. Ampert was 12, so it was the first year he could have been reaped. This opens the door to the sabotage plan being developed before the period between the 49-50th Games.

He did not know he was caught until they reaped Ampert:

“But it is. Entirely. I took a risk. I didn’t suspect that I’d been found out until the reaping. The timing was calculated. If I had known, I could have killed myself, and Ampert would be safe at home. That is how Snow works.”

This doesn't necessarily mean he developed the plan recently, but I think makes it more likely.

There are a few reasons he may have taken up against the communication system specifically (other than the fact he's the comms guy in mockingjay):

Prevent development of the arena:

He stated he got to look over the plans over a year ago:

“My point is that, for at least a few weeks, the arena has to be capable of sustaining the tributes and supporting the set pieces. I haven’t seen the plan for the actual arena, but over a year ago, they had me look over the Sub-A design."

So he has insider knowledge. Perhaps he was planning to meddle with the communication systems for the construction of the arena. Although, I don't think this hold water, as he did not implement the plans, and the arena would have to have been built by then.

"Oh yes, Well, they've been in the works for years, of course. Arenas aren't built in a day." (Catching Fire, Plutarch)

So, at best, he would be meddling with the construction of a future arena.

Trying to overwrite Capitol propaganda

People in the Capitol love their TV's. Maybe it's literally just him trying to do what he does in Mockingjay, although, I'm not sure what he would break in with, but that could be why it's a plan he didn't implement. They needed propos in Mockingjay before they could do any kind of breaking in.

Game communications/operations

Perhaps he was trying to sabotage the trackers (but that really wouldn't accomplish much on its own), or the operations of the Games in a Bluetooth/control from a remote location kind of way. I'd buy this if Sub-A didn't exist and the Games were as automated as they were in the 74th Games.

There are a few smaller things that could have to do with "Capitol communications", like moving Peacekeeper squadrons from areas to allow access to restricted areas, too, but I don't know if that would be sabotaging so much as interfering/controlling, maybe he just planned to leave a security gap in them for later?

I think the distinction of "sabotage" is why I'm not sure if it had anything to do with the rebels or not.

[feminist-space]

"In the age of smart fridges, connected egg crates, and casino fish tanks doubling as entry points for hackers, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that sex toys have joined the Internet of Things (IoT) party.

But not all parties are fun, and this one comes with a hefty dose of risk: data breaches, psychological harm, and even physical danger.

Let’s dig into why your Bluetooth-enabled intimacy gadget might be your most vulnerable possession — and not in the way you think.

The lure of remote-controlled intimacy gadgets isn’t hard to understand. Whether you’re in a long-distance relationship or just like the convenience, these devices have taken the market by storm.

According to a 2023 study commissioned by the U.K.’s Department for Science, Innovation, and Technology (DSIT), these toys are some of the most vulnerable consumer IoT products.

And while a vibrating smart egg or a remotely controlled chastity belt might sound futuristic, the risks involved are decidedly dystopian.

Forbes’ Davey Winder flagged the issue four years ago when hackers locked users into a chastity device, demanding a ransom to unlock it.

Fast forward to now, and the warnings are louder than ever. Researchers led by Dr. Mark Cote found multiple vulnerabilities in these devices, primarily those relying on Bluetooth connectivity.

Alarmingly, many of these connections lack encryption, leaving the door wide open for malicious third parties.

If you’re picturing some low-stakes prank involving vibrating gadgets going haywire, think again. The risks are far graver.

According to the DSIT report, hackers could potentially inflict physical harm by overheating a device or locking it indefinitely. Meanwhile, the psychological harm could stem from sensitive data — yes, that kind of data — being exposed or exploited.

A TechCrunch exposé revealed that a security researcher breached a chastity device’s database containing over 10,000 users’ information. That was back in June, and the manufacturer still hasn’t addressed the issue.

In another incident, users of the CellMate connected chastity belt reported hackers demanding $750 in bitcoin to unlock devices. Fortunately, one man who spoke to Vice hadn’t been wearing his when the attack happened. Small mercies, right?

These aren’t isolated events. Standard Innovation Corp., the maker of the We-Vibe toy, settled for $3.75 million in 2017 after it was discovered the device was collecting intimate data without user consent.

A sex toy with a camera was hacked the same year, granting outsiders access to its live feed.

And let’s not forget: IoT toys are multiplying faster than anyone can track, with websites like Internet of Dongs monitoring the surge.

If the thought of a connected chastity belt being hacked makes you uneasy, consider this: sex toys are just a small piece of the IoT puzzle.

There are an estimated 17 billion connected devices worldwide, ranging from light bulbs to fitness trackers — and, oddly, smart egg crates.

Yet, as Microsoft’s 2022 Digital Defense Report points out, IoT security is lagging far behind its software and hardware counterparts.

Hackers are opportunistic. If there’s a way in, they’ll find it. Case in point: a casino lost sensitive customer data after bad actors accessed its network through smart sensors in a fish tank.

If a fish tank isn’t safe, why would we expect a vibrating gadget to be?

Here’s where the frustration kicks in: these vulnerabilities are preventable.

The DSIT report notes that many devices rely on unencrypted Bluetooth connections or insecure APIs for remote control functionality.

Fixing these flaws is well within the reach of manufacturers, yet companies routinely fail to prioritize security.

Even basic transparency around data collection would be a step in the right direction. Users deserve to know what’s being collected, why, and how it’s protected. But history suggests the industry is reluctant to step up.

After all, if companies like Standard Innovation can get away with quietly siphoning off user data, why would smaller players bother to invest in robust security?

So, what’s a smart-toy enthusiast to do? First, ask yourself: do you really need your device to be connected to an app?

If the answer is no, then maybe it’s best to go old school. If remote connectivity is a must, take some precautions.

Keep software updated: Ensure both the device firmware and your phone’s app are running the latest versions. Updates often include critical security patches.

Use secure passwords: Avoid default settings and choose strong, unique passwords for apps controlling your devices.

Limit app permissions: Only grant the app the bare minimum of permissions needed for functionality.

Vet the manufacturer: Research whether the company has a history of addressing security flaws. If they’ve been caught slacking before, it’s a red flag.

The conversation around sex toy hacking isn’t just about awkward headlines — it’s about how we navigate a world increasingly dependent on connected technology. As devices creep further into every corner of our lives, from the bedroom to the kitchen, the stakes for privacy and security continue to rise.

And let’s face it: there’s something uniquely unsettling about hackers turning moments of intimacy into opportunities for exploitation.

If companies won’t take responsibility for protecting users, then consumers need to start asking tough questions — and maybe think twice before connecting their pleasure devices to the internet.

As for the manufacturers? The message is simple: step up or step aside.

No one wants to be the next headline in a tale of hacked chastity belts and hijacked intimacy. And if you think that’s funny, just wait until your light bulb sells your Wi-Fi password.

This is where IoT meets TMI. Stay connected, but stay safe."

https://thartribune.com/government-warns-couples-that-sex-toys-remain-a-tempting-target-for-hackers-with-the-potential-to-be-weaponized/

[unclegrumbles]

ULTIMATE DANNY PHANTOM

TUCKER FOLEY

Tucker had his nose buried in his phone before it was cool. Beyond gaming, he loves tinkering with his many gadgets to find new and creative ways to optimize them. Having access to the spare parts bin from the Fentons' laboratory grants Tucker a veritable buffet of tech to play with. Using their old tech, Tucker created his beloved PDA. Hidden beneath its standard functions is an encryption-cracking algorithm Tucker developed himself, capable of hacking into the most secure computers in town. Once Danny got his powers, Tucker began upgrading a special backpack with even more FentonWorks tech to aid in ghost hunting. Tucker's "Battlepack" contains a powerful, compact radio receiver linked to his PDA which allows him to tap into police radio comms and the FentonWorks' satnav ghost radar. It also includes a link port compatible with Fenton Thermoses, allowing Danny and the team to inspect certain traits of captured ghosts. An integrated Fenton powerbank can charge up all manner of devices, from phones to Fenton Thermoses and beyond. While Tucker takes pride in his role as the team's tech guy, he harbors some jealousy over Danny getting superpowers. That doesn't stop him from being Danny's closest, most reliable and loyal friend.

Powers and Abilities

Multitasking: Heavy is the head that wears the crown. As the self-described brains of the operation, Tucker is thusly saddled with the responsibility to handle more of the complex strategizing that comes with ghost hunting. After all, one does not simply hunt a ghost on a school night. Tucker takes on the task of checking weather, traffic, security, and even variables like public transportation and community events while coordinating with the rest of Team Phantom during a hunt. Tucker's obsession with data and details often prevents him from seeing the bigger picture.

PDA: While Tucker is too insecure to realize or admit it, the PDA he created is practically a superpower of its own. The encryption-cracking algorithm he created is based on a primitive program found in a discarded FentonWorks hard drive, but Tucker's skill with tech advanced the program far beyond its original state. By plugging into any computer linked to a network, Tucker can gain full access to all of its protected files. At the time of its creation, WiFi was still in its infancy. Regardless, Tucker integrated state-of-the-art WiFi tech into his PDA, allowing it to remotely interface with networked devices. Tucker can coordinate nearly all of Team Phantom's operations from the little machine.

Gamer™: Tucker, like Danny, is a proud member of the PC master race. Tucker has one of the best rigs in town, built with his own two hands, and has poured countless hours into late nights playing DOOMED with Danny. Once word slipped that Sam was one of the best gamers in their group, Tucker made it his life's mission to beat her high score in Superman 64, or die trying.

Confidence: Despite his very nerdy interests, Tucker oozes self-confidence. That translates well when talking to peers and adults alike. When Danny needs a pep-talk (that doesn't involve screaming from Sam), he goes to Tucker for wise words of encouragement.

---

Tucker is immensely proud of this encryption-cracking algorithm, but recently it's given him cause for concern. During routine maintenance he'll sometimes discover lines of code that he didn't write. Other times the algorithm diagnostic log shows encryption-cracking attempts that he didn't initiate. It's almost as if the algorithm has taken on a life of its own...

[jades-typurriter]

Secure Connection

As promised: more Posie!! I wrote this one toward the end of last Spring after a couple of conversations with friends regarding the malleability of digital bodies (as well as still having Many Thoughts about the way code can give them new compulsions, after writing something about Annie and a new taur-shaped chassis for a friend's Patreon). Enjoy reading about her dealing with a corporate-mandated "hardware" update!

CW: Genital TF, this is another one that's As About Sex as it can possibly be without being about sex

Posie sat, sulking—steaming, even—in her office. It was a small side room off of the main floor of IT personnel, system engineers, and other technical employees of her corporation. Much like a central server, it was placed for easy access to the department-wide administrative assistant, and much like a server room, it was snug, windowless, and awash with the calming drone and relaxing warmth of an array of exhaust fans. Though she was free to project herself nearly anywhere on the company’s campus, this was where her consciousness was housed, and where she felt most at home. It was also the only place she could get any damn privacy, a luxury that she was deeply grateful for at present.

A newly-downloaded file weighed on the back of the Renamon’s mind. More literally, it was somewhere in the racks of drives that made up her long-term memory, to and from which mission-critical information was transferred in the course of doing business. Had somebody asked where exactly the file was stored, she would have been able to list the specific drive and the exact directory address, but she had de-prioritized the allocation of her processing resources for the download. Once again, she had received an assignment from her superiors, and once again, she was hesitant. She may even have admitted to being recalcitrant. She resented the orders.

The package of data in question was an update for her own software, a suite of new tools to allow management to offload yet more menial tasks onto her in the name of “efficiency”. Forget that she could diagnose a software issue faster than any of the engineers could even open a remote connection to the malfunctioning device. Instead of allowing her to take the reins, they saw fit to divert more of her attention to the least impressive among talents, and the one she already put to use the most often: transferring data.

This wouldn’t have been much of a problem, ordinarily. After all, Posie resided in the beating heart of the network, the nexus through which the vast majority of information was sent and received. It could be… meditative. Parsing streams of ones and zeroes, overseeing the flow of packets, redirecting traffic to equally spread the load across modems and routers so as to optimize travel time. It could even have been considered relaxing, if a worker of her caliber needed to relax. Instead of offering her a vacation (pah!), however, the update felt more like it heralded a demotion, denying her even the ability to pluck like harpstrings the miles of copper and gold that lined her facility. She was expected to deliver this data on foot.

Management justified this humiliation with practical concerns: some information, much like the old records she was often tasked to dispose of, was so confidential that it could not be sent via wireless transmission. Even hardwired connections were too fallible for the likes of next-generation schematics and financial access keys—a single compromised workstation, or compromised worker, could spell the loss of the company’s upper hand in its market. She wasn’t even going to be afforded the dignity of carrying an external hard drive to the destination. That would require the slow and tedious process of physically moving from one place to the next; this was one of the only times that she regretted the freedom of movement that was so coveted by her flesh-and-blood peers.

With no room to make exceptions for security protocol, she gripped the edge of her desk, brow furrowing, eyes squinted shut in consternation. Eventually, she huffed, rose, and turned her attention to her “physical body”, summoning up the file in much the same way that one would approach a plate of food with a pungent odor. The Renamon steeled herself and began to more closely examine its contents. She read the raw code similarly to how one might read words on a page; however, where the turning gears of the organic mind would, almost unconsciously, conjure up an image as a result of those words, her mind kicked off a series of involuntary, autonomic processes.

Her body carried out the instructions on her behalf. Once she started, she had no control until she finally reached a stopcode; it was the nature of being a program herself that code had as much of an influence on her mind and body as her own thoughts, her own will. In opening the package, she reluctantly consented to the changes that management saw fit to make to her. It was better than the eventual forced-deadline sort of update that software companies were so keen on using nowadays, and at least choosing the time and place allowed her to make herself presentable again before having to face another person.

Having parts of her code—her very body—rewritten by the update was a strange sensation, not unlike having your thoughts dictated to you by an outside force. Stranger still was that she could feel the exact delineation between her previous self and the patches of… well, the patch. She could feel it quite strongly, as a matter of fact: beneath her skirt of simulated sky-blue fur, between her legs, she could feel her mesh being edited. Stretched. Reshaped. The vectors that made up the triangles of her wireframe soul were being rewritten, mathematically transformed. A shape began to protrude from the once-flat span at the bottom of her torso, at first round and indistinct, but quickly increasing in resolution.

The Renamon struggled to process the sensations as a long, slender connector began to take shape. This often happened with changes to her body plan; inputs streamed into her mind from directions, locations, that previously never sent any signals, and the new additions seldom had their sensitivity adjusted downward for her convenience. In this case, it was highly sensitive, delivering reams of data to the base of her skull just from brushing up against her own fur, or the gentle flow of air from the computers in her office. It made sense, given that it was supposed to be a high-capacity transfer tool, but she was too busy buckling at the knees and clutching at the desk behind her so she didn’t fall flat on her rear for the thought to occur to her.

Her processors demanded more cooling, kicking into high gear as they formatted the two new storage devices that accompanied the connector, tailor-made for packing confidential data as tightly as possible. The sound of whirring fans filled the room, stirring her fur and sending shivers up and down her back; she could only hope that the rushing exhaust made enough noise to drown her out, whimpering despite herself. The new drives were larger (and more unwieldy) than the ones that were built into her chest, much to her chagrin. She was forced to adjust her stance and her gait as she found her footing again, spreading her legs wider than she was accustomed in order to give them enough room.

The spinning in her head slowly settling down, she slowly began to compose herself once again, taking stock of the new additions. They were cumbersome, to be sure, and she lamented how they jutted out from her otherwise sleek form and burdened her with less-graceful posture. It didn’t even match her fur! The software engineers that had concocted the code had at least included one small mercy: a compartment for the connector to retract into, nestled in the fur above the storage drives. No such luck for the drives themselves. She supposed she would just have to adjust to walking with delicate hardware in tow. As she went to smooth her fur over her lap again, her paw recoiled away. Some kind of… static discharge was left in the fluff. A memory leak, perhaps? The fact that such a malfunction could be caused just from having the connector brush up against her fur appalled her, deepening her frustration even more. They couldn’t even test the update for bugs before shipping it out to her. She shook out her paw and finished arranging her skirt as best she could before working up the composure to finally leave her office.

Picking up the payload for which all this fanfare had been arranged was at least a quick, easy process. She stopped into the office of the manager that had assigned her the task; she offered a businesslike nod and, knowing that she was always itching to skip niceties in the name of saving time, he offered a straightforward wave at his personal terminal. She held a paw over the computer tower and, in the time it took for electricity to arc to her fingertip with a tinny zzzrt, she had already searched his directory for the relevant test files and copied them to the newly-installed drives. Wireless transfer, yes, but only technically. The engineers had specifically asked a member of another division, whose computer network wasn’t connected to their own; it was as though she had picked a folder up from his desk and walked out with it.

Moving the file was just as uneventful. It was far from the first time that she’d navigated the sprawling corporate property, and even if it were, the maps existed just outside the orbit of her thoughts, ready to be summoned to mind at a simple impulse. What she was not expecting, however, was the technician who was waiting in the server room to which she was asked to deliver the file. While she preferred to work in the isolation of rooms that were set aside specifically for hardware, she was far from unused to being in the presence of the other people responsible for maintaining the company’s systems. That said…

“Can I help you?” The Renamon icily asked.

“Oh, I don’t need anything! I’m just here to take notes on the transfer.” Her tone was cheery; evidently, she wasn’t aware how compromising the new additions were. “The time it takes, any obvious issues. I’ll be the one checking the files against the originals, too,” she concluded, hooking a thumb over her shoulder at a monitor behind her.

“I see,” Posie replied through gritted teeth. “You have clearance to see these files, then?”

“Well, they’re just dummy data, ma’am.” At least she was respectful.

“And the proprietary hardware I’ve been… equipped with?” she forced out, keeping her synthesized voice even.

“Oh, for sure I do. I designed it!”

Oh! she seethed. So she knows pre-cise-ly the position he’s put me in.

“Well. I suppose there’s no point in delaying things, then.”

“Ready when you are!”

With tense shoulders, she turned toward the server rack, eyes darting over it, searching for where exactly she was supposed to connect to the array. After glancing over the contents of each drive, she found the one she was supposed to copy the data into—deposit would be more apt, as it was her understanding that the files would be automatically flushed from her system—and found a port that would allow her to access it. Conveniently, it was around waist height. She wondered, crossly, whether that had been an intentional design decision by this engineer as well. As she looked at it, she felt a twinge from the connector; on its own, like a Bluetooth device automatically searching for signals, it slid itself out from its fuzzy little compartment.

Her skin was abuzz, and her fur stood on end. She couldn’t quite tell if it was coming from the connector itself, or if it was the feeling of the programmer’s eyes on her If she could take a deep breath, she would have then. Without any way to stall further, or to tell the leering young woman to take her test files and store them somewhere indecent, she simply pushed forward with dropping off the damned data.

The instant the connector grazed the metal of the port, lightning shot into it, through her body, and into her head, making it swim with electrical potential. A stuttering, lagging thought made its way to the surface of her mind: they really had overtuned the sensitivity. She stifled a gasp and suppressed the urge to lay into the engineer (electrons were eager to flow out of her even without proper alignment with the contacts in the port, and didn’t she know that discharge like that could damage a piece of hardware?!), willing her body to keep pressing the stupid connector into the socket.

Even as she tried to get it over with already, something in the back of her mind compelled her to draw back a bit. If she had been restraining herself from reprimanding the engineer for risking the hardware, then she should at least do it the service of ensuring she was properly aligned, shouldn’t she? She obliged the impulse, and the motion all at once became much jerkier, less controlled. The friction of the port against her connector was enough to send her tail snapping back and forth, and she could tell that the temperature in her own server’s room had risen by a fair few degrees. Back and forth, wiggling side to side, she continued to readjust and realign herself, driven by unfamiliar code and overwhelmed by the signals pouring into her. She lost herself in the task, forgetting herself, forgetting her surroundings, until finally the technician cleared her throat.

“Ma’am,” she ventured, blushing and wide-eyed. “What, um. What are you doing? You should just need to plug it in.”

“I’m.” Her interruption had snapped the Renamon back to reality. She was mortified, tail sticking straight out and back ramrod straight. Her cheeks burned mercilessly. “I’m calibrating the connection.”

“Calibrating?”

“Did you want your files transferred with or without corrupted and incomplete data?” She snapped, hoping that her authoritative tone would head off any debate. “Assign me experimental hardware and then ask me to be reckless with it, hm? Should I be taking notes to give to our superiors?”

“I—alright, I guess you can’t be too careful,” she stammered, sheepishly pressing her legs together. “That was even something I tried to work into the design, so, c-carry on?”

“Thank you,” Posie blustered, turning back to the server rack. She did so slowly, reluctantly relishing the feeling of sliding around within the socket. She allowed herself one or two more “practice” attempts, hoping that it wouldn’t arouse too much suspicion from the engineer. Ultimately, just like before, there was no use in continuing to stall, and when she was able to bring her body to a stop, the rational part of herself was eager to be done with this entire torrid affair.

With more force, she pressed the connector inward one final time, trembling as the latch began to press against the opening. Slowly, agonizingly slowly, she continued, overwhelmed by the volume of electricity surging into her. The latch gave, compressing as it continued to slide inside, until finally it clicked into place, securing her to the array of drives and finalizing the connection.

All at once, a torrent of data poured out of her, an electron tsunami that felt like it threatened to spill out of the socket in which she was hilted. More data was transferred in the span of a few seconds than she was used to consciously processing, having cultivated such skill in delegating and compartmentalizing with background processes. Once again, the world around her was utterly drowned out; the strength fled her legs, and she clung to the steel bar that reinforced the top of the server rack, threatening to topple the entire system. Her self-control abandoned her as well and, forgetting the engineer, she cried out with an airy, wild, distinctly foxlike yelp. She screamed in surprise, gasped at the deluge of information, moaned because there was no room left in her mind for thought to do anything else.

Quickly, the disks of the server rack had finished writing the files she had carried to them, and her own drives were thoroughly purged. In another building, the radiators serving her processors shed heat at their absolute limits, and fans worked overtime to bring her back within her safe operational range. As her overworked circuitry began to chug through the backlog of sensory information, the entire experience caught up with her—including the detail that this entire shameless display had been carried out in front of that underhanded little engineer. She blinked, hard, and whipped her head to face her. For as hot as her own ears felt, the young woman’s face appeared to be glowing even brighter.

“What. Was that.”

“Um—”

“I’m used to new adjustments requiring desensitization, or even adjustment on their gain,” she growled, voice low and eerily even. “But that was a bridge too far to just have been miscalibration. Why did you design it like that?”

“Well, y-you remember how I mentioned, um, having considered an early disconnection?” Posie’s frosty glare didn’t waver, so the tech continued, answering her own rhetorical question. “That was, uh, the safeguard. Against early disconnection. I, figured it’d just be easier to make it so you wouldn’t want to unplug—”

“Do you think you have the au-thor-ity to go making changes to my mind, young lady?!”

“I-I can roll back the update if you want—”

“I think you’ve done QUITE enough!” The Renamon declared, despite herself. Perhaps it was genuine distrust, or perhaps—perhaps she truly couldn’t tell which desires were her own, at the moment. This would require careful study of her own system files.

Another small click broke the silence following her outburst, and the dongle began to retract from the server’s port and back into Posie’s body. Now free to move around, she dusted and fluffed her skirt and leaned down to look the engineer in the eye.

“I trust that you can report to your supervisor that I performed to your expectations,” she hissed. “And that there will be no need for any further discussion of your little project.” The programmer nodded, eyes even wider than before—and cheeks even redder? The Renamon scoffed, sneered, and spun, storming out the door, already allotting time in her schedule for the next time that she would be called upon for such a delivery.

Utterly unsurprisingly, she had been correct in her assessment that her superiors would take every opportunity to save their organic employees’ time at her expense. Confidential deliveries became a regular part of her routine, and though she had great disdain for being reduced to a mere courier for so much of the workday, she insisted upon completing the task to her usual, lofty standards.

Posie was as prompt as she always was, dropping everything to ferry information between privileged parties, striving to reduce latency even in more analogue forms of communication. There was the occasional complaint about how long downloads took once she had finally arrived at her location, but she was quick to remind such impatient recipients that the decision to follow this protocol came from on-high, and that even for someone who worked as quickly as her, great care for the safety of the data was a corner that simply could not be cut in the name of rushing around.

She was as meticulous about ensuring proper alignment with the port, fine-tuning her contact with the wires within, as the first time she had experimented with the new tools, and complaints about noise from the server room were easily dismissed as the usual stress of supporting her formidable computational power. After all, she was often venturing out of the range of her home network, hosting herself entirely on the recipients’ systems; was she at fault when they couldn’t handle the information throughput they asked of her?

Once the deliveries had become more routine, and none of her peers bothered to check in when they felt it was taking too long or getting too noisy, she began to find enjoyment in the solitude of her work, just as with the other, admittedly more tedious, tasks she was expected to carry out. With fewer prying eyes to judge her performance, she could make herself more comfortable while handling transfers. She didn’t have to worry that anybody would walk in on her in the debased state she often found herself in while connected directly to a data center, leaning her full weight on the poor rack, tongue lolling out and chest heaving air to keep her cool. 

Then again, if somebody—especially that little technician who’d saddled her with these “upgrades”—wanted to question her efficacy, that was more than fine by her. Posie was a woman who prided herself in her work, and would seldom turn down a chance to demonstrate her first-rate hardware and unparalleled optimization. She would be more than happy to demonstrate just how quickly she could pump out information, and just how much throughput she was capable of.

Thank you for reading! If you want to see more of my work, you can check it out here and here!

[olivergisttv]

Best Privacy Tools to Anonymize Your Online Activity

In an era where data is the new currency, protecting your privacy online is more important than ever. From tracking your browsing habits to selling your personal information, it feels like everyone wants a piece of your digital footprint. But don’t worry, you can fight back with these top privacy tools designed to help you stay anonymous and keep your online activity secure.   1. Virtual Private…

[mariacallous]

Dozens of Consumer Finance Protection Bureau employees were terminated on Tuesday evening, sources tell WIRED.

The cuts largely targeted contractors and so-called probationary employees, workers who have served less than two years at the agency. Sources tell WIRED that the CFPB’s enforcement division was hit hard, but it’s unclear how many employees were let go.

Workers were informed that they had been fired with a frenetic email delivered around 9pm ET on Tuesday night. An evidently failed mail merge meant that some affected employees were addressed as [EmployeeFirstName][EmployeeLastName], [Job Title], [Division].

“This is to provide notification that I am removing you from your position of [Job Title] and federal service consistent with the above references,” the email from acting chief human capital officer Adam Martinez says. “Unfortunately, the Agency finds that that [sic] you are not fit for continued employment because your ability, knowledge and skills do not fit the Agency’s current needs.”

The firings follow a tumultuous few days at CFPB. On Friday, staff for Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency shut down a portion of the agency’s homepage after a day of struggling to obtain access to the CMS and other systems. WIRED reported last week that three DOGE staffers, including Gavin Kliger and Nikhil Rajpal were given access to CFPB’s HR, procurement, and financial infrastructure. The DOGE workers were later granted access to all of the agency’s systems on Friday, Bloomberg reported this week, including bank examination and enforcement records.

Later on Friday evening, Russell Vought—Trump’s newly confirmed director of the Office of Management and Budget—took over as the acting administrator for CFPB late Friday evening, as first reported by The Wall Street Journal. Soon after, DOGE staff began sending out email requests asking CFPB managers to give Kliger additional access to agency systems, including physical access control system, payroll processing systems, and the ability to edit the CFPB’s website, sources tell WIRED.

Just before 10:30pm ET on Friday, sources say someone who appeared to have administrative privileges, accessed the agency server using Secure Shell (SSH), a protocol that allows remote control of a computer over a network. Bypassing the content management system, they [unpublished] the homepage file, causing a portion of the CFPB homepage to display a “404: Page not found”, notice typical of a website that has been deleted or is otherwise missing. The remainder of the site was functional, including submission forms for industry whistleblowers and consumer complaints.

Around 11pm on Friday, the CFPB’s X account disappeared and shortly after, according to a CFPB staffer, DOGE left the building.

CFPB sources who spoke to WIRED described being blindsided by the DOGE staffers. "They said they would follow protocol but repeatedly did not," one says, noting that the level of access these staffers have could allow them to lock others out of the building, take down the website, and “obstruct the bureau’s ability to carry out its mandate.”

One source at CFPB on Friday says they saw two young DOGE staffers wandering through the halls of the building trying to open doors.

“DOGE pulled a Darth Vader in cloud city where they came in promising to respect our rules and ask for read access and then tonight [Friday] at 6 they took a heel turn and demanded website access,” another CFPB source told WIRED at the time.

In a pair of emails sent Saturday and Monday, Vought effectively ordered all work at the agency to stop, freezing various enforcement efforts and work on regulations that would affect payment programs run by Big Tech companies.

The CFPB has long been a target of both Elon Musk and conservatives more broadly; the Project 2025 chapter on financial regulatory agencies describes it as “a highly politicized, damaging, and utterly unaccountable federal agency” and calls to have it abolished. Musk wrote “RIP CFPB” with a gravestone emoji in an X post Friday afternoon. Last November, he posted “Delete CFPB.” There are around 1,700 employees in total at the agency.

The CFPB was established by the 2010 Dodd-Frank Act, a sweeping piece of legislation that imposed significant regulatory reform in the wake of the 2008 financial crisis. Its remit is to protect consumers from unfair or deceptive financial practices, and the agency claims to be responsible for $19.7 billion in consumer relief since its inception, as well as $5 billion in civil penalties.

Some of those wins have come against payment processors including Block, which was ordered to pay a total of $175 million in penalties last month for allegedly failing to sufficiently protect users of its Cash App from fraud. CFPB also has an active lawsuit against JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo for similar alleged failures on their shared payment app Zelle. Elon Musk will soon be in the peer-to-peer payments business as well, after X entered a partnership with Visa in late January.

[cyber-sec]

𝗪𝗲𝗲𝗸𝗹𝘆 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗡𝗲𝘄𝘀 𝗥𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱𝘂𝗽 | 𝟮𝟳 𝗝𝗮𝗻 – 𝟮 𝗙𝗲𝗯 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟱

1️⃣ 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗲𝗱. 100+ Vulnerabilities in LTE & 5G Core Networks Exposed: A security audit uncovered 119 vulnerabilities, risking DoS attacks and remote compromise.

Source: https://cellularsecurity.org/ransacked

2️⃣ 𝗦𝘂𝗯𝗮𝗿𝘂 𝗙𝗹𝗮𝘄 𝗘𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲𝘀 𝗥𝗲𝗺𝗼𝘁𝗲 𝗩𝗲𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗛𝗶𝗷𝗮𝗰𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴. Flaw in Subaru’s STARLINK system allowed remote access. Patch deployed quickly.

Source: https://samcurry.net/hacking-subaru

3️⃣ 𝗥𝗮𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗺𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗘𝗦𝗫𝗶. Attackers exploit unmonitored ESXi servers for covert C2C channels.

Source: https://www.sygnia.co/blog/esxi-ransomware-ssh-tunneling-defense-strategies/

4️⃣ 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗖𝗣𝗨 𝗦𝗶𝗱𝗲-𝗖𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗹 𝗔𝘁𝘁𝗮𝗰𝗸𝘀. M2/M3 CPU flaws allow extraction of sensitive data.

Source: https://predictors.fail/

5️⃣ 𝗭𝘆𝗫𝗲𝗹 𝗭𝗲𝗿𝗼-𝗗𝗮𝘆 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱. A critical flaw in Zyxel devices is actively being targeted.

Source: https://www.greynoise.io/blog/active-exploitation-of-zero-day-zyxel-cpe-vulnerability-cve-2024-40891

𝗔𝗜 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗖𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀

🟢 𝗦𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗲-𝗦𝗽𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗔𝗣𝗧𝘀 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗔𝗜: Over 20 APT groups use Google's Gemini AI for malware development.

Source: https://cloud.google.com/blog/topics/threat-intelligence/adversarial-misuse-generative-ai

🟠 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘁𝗚𝗣𝗧 𝗝𝗮𝗶𝗹𝗯𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗹𝗼𝗶𝘁𝘀 𝗧𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝘂𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻. The "Time Bandit" jailbreak bypasses ChatGPT safeguards with "temporal confusion".

Source: https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/time-bandit-chatgpt-jailbreak-bypasses-safeguards-on-sensitive-topics/

🔴 𝗗𝗲𝗲𝗽𝗦𝗲𝗲𝗸 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗰𝗲𝗿𝗻𝘀. Exposed DeepSeek database leaks sensitive model data.

Source: https://www.wiz.io/blog/wiz-research-uncovers-exposed-deepseek-database-leak

[averalia]

The Cold Case

Part 1// Part 2// Part 3// part 4 (Final)

| Pairing: Athens Grant x Reader

| Warning: Warning/s: Attempted kidnapping, assault, guns, death

I Summary: Athena Grant-Nash moves her family to a safe house, then meticulously orchestrates the exposure of a deep-seated conspiracy. After a brutal kidnapping attempt on her, the FBI intensifies its efforts. Athena engineers the capture of Julian Hayes, the conspiracy's financial architect. However, the chapter ends with a chilling interrogation, where Connor Maxwell reveals her family is still a target, despite the arrests.

| A/N: this series is a lot longer than I though it was going to be

The remote cabin was exactly as Hen had described: isolated, rustic, and far from any prying eyes. As they pulled up the winding dirt driveway, the only sounds were the rustle of leaves and the distant hoot of an owl. The air was crisp, scented with pine, a stark contrast to the suffocating tension of the city. Bobby, May, and Harry were exhausted but safe.

Inside, Hen and Karen, who had arrived earlier, had already set up makeshift beds and a small, secure workspace in the living area. The first priority was making sure the family was truly safe.

"Okay," Athena stated, her voice calm and authoritative, once the kids were settled with some warm milk. "Here's the plan. Bobby, you and the kids stay here. No leaving the property unless I say so. Karen, thank you for being here, your presence is invaluable. Hen, you're with me. We're going completely off-grid."

Her immediate strategy was multi-pronged, designed to protect her family while simultaneously advancing the investigation, using the very exposure that had put them in danger as a weapon.

First, secure communications and digital hygiene. They were officially dark. All personal phones were turned off and placed in a faraday bag Hen had quickly assembled. Their communication would now be entirely through encrypted channels, using a network of burner phones and a satellite internet connection that Hen had rigged up – slow, but secure and difficult to trace. They would access the outside world only through these protected means, minimizing any digital footprint.

Second, containment of Thomas Thorne. "We need to ensure Thorne is even more secure," Athena told Hen. "The conspirators know he's the key. They might have a lead on his current location. I need to make sure he's moved to an even more impenetrable safe house, somewhere completely out of their reach." She began to brainstorm options, leaning on old law enforcement contacts who ran discreet witness protection services.

Third, leverage the press. "Eleanor Vance is our primary weapon right now," Athena explained to Hen. "The exposure has shaken them, but they're still powerful. We need to feed Vance more. Keep the pressure on. Every new detail that comes out makes it harder for them to control the narrative, and puts more eyes on the FBI's investigation."

Hen nodded, already anticipating. "We'll send her more of the audio logs, maybe some of Y/N's more explicit financial breakdowns. Enough to keep the story boiling without giving away our location or jeopardizing your anonymity."

Fourth, establish contact with Agent Miller, cautiously. "It's time to reach out to Special Agent Miller directly," Athena said. "But not from here. We'll use a series of untraceable burner phones, and we'll communicate in code, or use a dead drop. I need to know what the FBI's next moves are, and how close they are to making arrests. I also need to ensure that when they do move, they have the resources to protect my family." She knew Miller would be under immense pressure, but his integrity was something she could stake her life on.

Fifth, plan for the worst-case scenario. Athena walked the perimeter of the cabin with Bobby, pointing out potential weak spots, discussing escape routes, and reviewing their emergency protocols. Bobby, though still reeling from the sudden upheaval, listened intently, his own protective instincts fully engaged. He was a fire captain, a leader, and he quickly adapted to the crisis. They established a system of rotating watches, ensuring someone was always alert.

As the sun began to paint the sky with streaks of orange and purple, Athena felt a flicker of grim satisfaction. They were out of immediate danger, for now. The cabin was a fortress of sorts. But the fight was far from over. The conspirators wouldn't stop until they silenced everyone involved. And Athena, with the quiet strength of her family behind her, was ready for them. She looked at the old photo of you, Y/N, on her secured laptop. Your sacrifice would not be in vain.

Over the next few days, the cabin became a command center. Hen, with her surprising tech savvy, managed the digital side, feeding carefully redacted information to Eleanor Vance. Each new article from Vance's paper was a gut punch to the exposed conspirators, forcing them onto the defensive. The FBI, spurred by public outrage and the undeniable evidence, ramped up its investigation, their every move tracked by Athena and Hen through news reports and discreet inquiries.

Meanwhile, Athena worked tirelessly to secure Thomas Thorne. She used her old contacts, navigating a clandestine network of former law enforcement and private security specialists who understood the nuances of witness protection. Thorne was moved again, this time to an undisclosed location far across the country, his safety paramount.

The constant threat, however, remained. Athena fielded more anonymous calls and texts, the modulated voices growing increasingly agitated and desperate. They knew she was behind the leak, even if they couldn't prove it. The threats against her family became more explicit, describing May and Harry’s school, Bobby’s fire station, even their favorite park. Athena felt a chilling realization that the conspirators had deep surveillance capabilities, or perhaps, compromised contacts within the city.

One afternoon, as Hen was monitoring the news feeds, she gasped. "Athena, look at this."

A breaking news alert flashed across the screen: "Prominent Businessman Found Dead in Apparent Suicide." The name was familiar. Marcus Thorne. Not Thomas, but his powerful uncle, one of the key figures implicated in Y/N's audio logs.

"Suicide?" Athena scoffed, her eyes narrowing. "Or silencing."

The implication was clear: the conspirators were cleaning house, eliminating anyone who might flip or who already knew too much. The game was escalating, and the stakes were getting terrifyingly high.

A call came through on the secure satellite phone. It was Special Agent Miller from the FBI. His voice was grim. "Detective Grant-Nash, we need to talk. Your information is solid, undeniable. We've moved quickly, but these are powerful people. They're striking back. We have reason to believe your life, and the lives of your family, are in imminent danger. We have assets ready to provide immediate, full-scale protection."

Athena looked at Bobby, who was sitting across the room, watching the kids play, his face a mask of weary vigilance. She knew this was her chance to bring them back into the light, to rely on the formidable power of the federal government. But it also meant exposing herself completely, becoming a primary target.

"Agent Miller," Athena said, her voice steady, "I appreciate the offer. Where do we go from here?"

Miller paused. "We're moving to bring in the primary targets. Warrants are being finalized. But we need your direct testimony. You're the one who found this evidence. We need you to identify the voices, confirm the chain of custody. And we need to get your family into full federal protection immediately."

Athena looked at the mountains surrounding the cabin, then back at the small, fragile family she had brought to safety. The cabin had served its purpose, but it was time for the next, dangerous phase. The fight was coming to a head. Justice for Y/N L/N, so long delayed, was finally within reach, but the path to it was fraught with peril.

As the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the cabin, Athena made her decision. She would accept federal protection, but on her terms. She wouldn't let her family become passive victims, hidden away while the conspirators walked free. She would use the full force of the FBI, but she would also remain actively involved, ensuring justice was served.

"Agent Miller," she said, her voice firm, "I'll testify. I'll provide everything you need. But I have conditions. My family gets full protection, but I stay in the field. I'm not going into hiding. I'm going to be there when you bring these people down."

Miller hesitated. "Detective, that's… highly irregular. And extremely dangerous."

"It's non-negotiable," Athena replied. "I'm the one who brought this case back to life. I owe it to Y/N L/N to see it through. And I won't let my family's safety be held hostage by these criminals."

After a tense silence, Miller relented. "Alright, Detective. We'll make it work. We'll provide a protective detail for your family, and we'll coordinate with you on the ground. But you follow our lead. This is a federal operation now."

The next few days were a whirlwind of activity. Bobby, May, and Harry were relocated to a secure FBI safe house, a quiet suburban home under constant surveillance. Athena, meanwhile, was debriefed by Agent Miller and a team of federal prosecutors. She meticulously laid out the entire story, providing the original documents, the forensic copies of the flash drive, and a detailed account of Thomas Thorne’s testimony. The federal team, initially skeptical of a lone detective’s findings, quickly became convinced by the irrefutable evidence.

They began coordinating their approach to the conspirators. Athena, now operating as a key witness and a field consultant, was embedded with the FBI’s public corruption unit. Her knowledge of the local landscape, the subtle power dynamics, and the specific individuals involved was invaluable.

One afternoon, Athena was being escorted by two FBI agents to a secure, off-site location for a final pre-trial review of evidence. The location was a discreet federal building in an unassuming part of the city, chosen for its low profile. As their unmarked SUV turned onto a quiet side street, a large, dark van suddenly swerved from a blind alley, ramming into their vehicle's side. The impact was violent, throwing Athena and the agents against their seatbelts. Airbags deployed, filling the SUV with a blinding cloud of white.

Before the dust settled, the rear doors of the van slid open. Two figures, heavily built and clad in dark tactical gear, emerged. They moved with a chilling efficiency, their faces obscured by balaclavas. One agent, disoriented from the crash, tried to reach for his weapon, but a brutal blow to the head sent him slumping forward. The other agent, still struggling with his seatbelt, had a gloved hand clamp over his mouth before he could cry out.

"Grant-Nash," a muffled voice rasped, the tone cold and determined. "Time to finish this."

Athena, though shaken, was already moving. Her own weapon was still holstered, but years of training kicked in. As one of the figures reached for her door handle, she unbuckled her seatbelt and simultaneously kicked out, catching him squarely in the chest. The blow sent him stumbling back, momentarily buying her precious seconds.

She lunged for her door, pushing it open and rolling out onto the pavement, ignoring the searing pain in her shoulder. The second assailant was already coming around the back of the SUV, a dark, menacing silhouette. He was faster, more agile than the first. He lunged, attempting to tackle her.

Athena sidestepped, using his momentum against him, and spun, delivering a sharp elbow to his jaw. He grunted, staggering, but quickly recovered, coming back at her with a furious rush. This wasn't a snatch-and-grab; it was an attempt to neutralize her, permanently.

They engaged in a brutal, silent dance. Athena, though outnumbered and injured, fought with the ferocity of a cornered lioness. She blocked a punch, felt a sharp pain as another grazed her ribs, and retaliated with a series of quick, precise strikes. Her police academy training, honed by years on the street, was a blur of instinct and muscle memory. She heard a groan from inside the SUV—the agents were stirring. She needed to buy them more time.

Her assailant, larger and stronger, managed to get a grip on her arm, twisting it painfully behind her back. He began to drag her towards the van, his grip like iron. "You're coming with us, Detective," he growled.

But Athena Grant-Nash had faced down far worse. With a desperate surge of adrenaline, she dropped her weight, pulled hard against his grip, and then pivoted sharply, slamming her head back into his nose. There was a sickening crunch, and the man roared in pain, releasing her.

Just as he stumbled back, clutching his face, the doors of the federal building burst open. A team of fully armed FBI tactical agents, alerted by the crash and the sudden radio silence from their unit, swarmed into the street, weapons raised.

"FBI! Hands in the air!"

The remaining assailant from the van hesitated for a split second, then scrambled back into the vehicle as the first one, still reeling, managed to follow. The van, tires squealing, roared away, disappearing around the corner before the FBI agents could get a clear shot.

Athena stood panting, her body aching, a fresh cut bleeding above her eye, but her eyes were sharp, scanning the street. They had come for her. They were desperate. But they had failed.

Agent Miller rushed to her side, his face etched with concern. "Athena! Are you alright? What happened?"

"They tried to take me," Athena gasped, leaning against the side of the damaged SUV, her gaze fixed on the corner where the van had vanished. "They tried to silence me."

Miller's jaw was tight. "We knew they were dangerous, but this… This means we're closer than ever. And they're more desperate. From now on, Detective, you don't move without a full tactical escort. We're going to bring these bastards down."

The attempted kidnapping, the brutal fight, only solidified Athena's resolve. They wanted her to back down, to be afraid. But all they had done was fuel her determination. For Y/N, and for her family, she would see this through to the very end. The game had just become deadly.

The foiled kidnapping attempt sent a jolt of grim satisfaction through Athena. They were desperate. The attack was proof that her actions, her relentless pursuit of justice for Y/N, were tearing apart their carefully constructed world of impunity. Now, the FBI wasn't just taking her word for it; they'd witnessed the conspirators' brutality firsthand.

Agent Miller, true to his word, assigned Athena a round-the-clock protective detail. Two highly trained federal agents became her shadows, their presence a constant reminder of the danger, but also a reassuring shield. Her family remained in the secure safe house, a fortress of federal protection. The distance was agonizing, but Athena knew they were safer there, far from the direct line of fire.

The FBI intensified its operations. The audio logs from Y/N's flash drive, coupled with Athena’s deep dive into the historical financial records and Thomas Thorne’s corroborated testimony, formed an unassailable case. Warrants were executed across the city, targeting the powerful individuals named in the recordings. Residences, corporate offices, and private accounts were raided. The media, fueled by Eleanor Vance’s continued exposés, documented every development, turning the once-whispered conspiracy into a screaming headline.

One name kept surfacing in the ongoing investigation: Julian Hayes. He was a quiet, unassuming man, a long-time financial advisor to many of the key players in the original redevelopment project. Y/N’s notes had mentioned him peripherally, always in connection with unusually large, untraceable transactions. He wasn't one of the loud, aggressive voices on the recordings, but Athena’s gut told her he was significant. He was the spider at the center of the financial web.

"Hayes isn't just an advisor," Athena told Agent Miller during a late-night strategy session. "He's the architect. He managed the money, set up the shell companies. He's the one who knew every secret. If we can get him, we can get everything."

Miller agreed. Hayes had been elusive, his financial footprint expertly obscured. He wasn't a public figure, which made him harder to track, but also more dangerous, as he had nothing to lose.

The Trap is Set

The FBI finally located Hayes at a secluded, heavily fortified estate outside the city. It was a testament to his paranoia, a veritable fortress designed to keep the world out. Traditional entry would be a siege. But Athena had an idea.

"Hayes is a creature of habit," she explained. "He's meticulously private. He's also terrified. The news about the others getting arrested, the exposure of the conspiracy—it's unraveling his life's work. He'll want to secure his own escape route, maybe transfer his remaining assets."

Athena suggested a carefully orchestrated ruse. They would leak a false report, carefully crafted to appear legitimate, indicating that a key piece of incriminating evidence, a ledger detailing every illicit transaction, had been found at one of the recently raided properties. The target of this "leak" would be a minor, known associate of Hayes, ensuring the information reached him directly and swiftly. The ledger wouldn't exist, of course, but the threat of it would be enough.

"He’ll panic," Athena predicted. "He’ll think we have something we don’t. He’ll make a move to destroy it, or to confirm its existence. He'll go after it himself, to verify if his meticulous system has a flaw."

The FBI team was hesitant at first, but Athena’s track record and the urgency of the situation convinced them. The fake leak was planted, a carefully woven trail of breadcrumbs leading to a deserted warehouse, an old, forgotten holding facility that had once been part of the downtown redevelopment project. It was structurally sound, with multiple entry points, making it a perfect, controlled environment for an ambush.

The Final Showdown

Under the cover of a moonless night, Athena, accompanied by Agent Miller and a small, elite FBI tactical team, positioned themselves within the cavernous darkness of the warehouse. Cold Case Detective Athena Grant-Nash, a local cop from the beat, was now leading a federal operation to bring down a decades-old criminal empire.

Hours crawled by. The air was thick with tension, the only sounds the rustle of their gear and the thumping of their own hearts. Then, just as the first hint of pre-dawn light threatened to pierce the darkness, a sleek, black sedan pulled up to the main loading dock.

Julian Hayes emerged, a figure of anxious caution, his face pale in the dim light. He wasn't alone. Two burly, professional-looking bodyguards scanned the perimeter, their movements tight and practiced. Hayes carried a small, heavy briefcase. He was there to confirm the "ledger."

"Hayes!" Agent Miller's voice boomed, amplified by a bullhorn, cutting through the silence. "FBI! Hands where we can see them!"

The bodyguards reacted instantly, drawing weapons. But the FBI team was faster, a flurry of movement and shouted commands. A brief, violent exchange of gunfire erupted. The bodyguards were quickly incapacitated, but Hayes, in a desperate, final act, pulled a small vial from his pocket and raised it to his lips.

"He's destroying evidence!" Athena yelled, recognizing the desperate move. "Move!"

She launched herself forward, her protective detail a step behind her. Hayes, seeing her coming, spun, his eyes wild with terror and defiance. He didn't have a weapon, but he lunged, a desperate, cornered animal, aiming to smash the vial against the concrete floor.

Athena intercepted him, a powerful tackle that sent them both sprawling. The vial flew from his hand, shattering against a nearby metal beam, its contents splashing harmlessly. Hayes thrashed beneath her, a frantic, desperate struggle. He was older, but surprisingly strong, fueled by panic. He clawed at her, trying to reach for something at his ankle.

Athena saw it – a small, sharp knife. Her years of street experience kicked in. She blocked his arm, twisting, and slammed her elbow into his ribs. He grunted, momentarily stunned. With a final, decisive move, she pinned his arm, securing the knife.

As federal agents swarmed, taking Hayes into custody, Athena stood over him, breathing heavily. He lay defeated, his meticulous world in ruins. She looked down at him, then thought of Y/N. Their silent, enduring presence had driven her, through every threat, every danger, every long, dark night.

Justice. Finally.

Connor Maxwell, one of the two assailants from the kidnapping attempt, was a ghost. Or, rather, he had been. His face, now unmasked, stared defiantly across the sterile interrogation room table at Athena. He was the one who had grabbed her, the one who had growled about silencing her. The FBI had tracked him down hours after the ambush, thanks to a partial plate number caught by a distant traffic camera and a rapid-response facial recognition sweep. He was a professional, a shadow operator with a history of shady security contracts and no apparent ties to the main conspirators, making him a perfect, deniable asset.

Athena sat opposite him, her shoulder still aching, a faint bruise blooming on her temple. Agent Miller sat beside her, silent but watchful.

Maxwell leaned back in his chair, a smirk playing on his lips. He was in his late forties, lean but powerfully built, with cold, calculating eyes. He had the air of someone who enjoyed the game, even from a losing position.

"Well, well, Detective Grant-Nash," he drawled, his voice no longer modulated, surprisingly smooth. "Fancy meeting you here. Last time, you were rather… feisty."

Athena's gaze was unwavering. "You attempted to kidnap a federal witness and assault two federal agents, Maxwell. You're facing a long time."

He chuckled, a dry, humorless sound. "Oh, I'm well aware of the charges. But let's be honest, Detective. You got lucky. Very lucky. And messy. We prefer clean operations."

Miller interjected, his voice sharp. "Who hired you, Maxwell? Who gave the orders?"

Maxwell ignored him, his eyes still fixed on Athena, a disturbing glint in them. "You know, when they gave me the file on you, I was intrigued. A cop who just had to dig up old bones. Most people know when to let sleeping dogs lie. Especially when those dogs have teeth."

"Y/N L/N deserved justice," Athena stated, her voice even.

"Justice?" Maxwell scoffed. "Or notoriety? You could have stayed quiet, Detective. Could have enjoyed your life. Your charming husband. Your sweet little boy and girl." His eyes flickered to the invisible bruises on her temple, a hint of satisfaction. "Roughing you up wasn't in the original brief, but you did make it necessary."

A wave of cold fury washed over Athena, but she held it in check. He was trying to provoke her, to get under her skin.

"The FBI has everything, Maxwell," Miller pressed. "The audio logs, the documents, Thomas Thorne's testimony. It's over. Give us the names of your employers, and we can discuss leniency."

Maxwell chuckled again, a genuinely amused sound this time. "Leniency? You think I'm afraid of a few years in a federal pen? I've seen worse holidays. And as for 'everything,' Agent, do you really think you have everything?" He paused, letting the silence hang heavy. "They're always a step ahead. Always."

Then, his demeanor shifted. The amusement drained from his face, replaced by something cold and unsettlingly intimate. His voice dropped, becoming a low, chilling whisper. "You know, Detective, when I saw your family's pictures… very nice. Very typical. The suburban dream. It made me think. All that hard work, all those years building something… just to watch it crumble because of a bad decision."

Athena's jaw clenched. "Don't talk about my family."

Maxwell leaned forward, his eyes boring into hers. "You should have stayed with them, Detective. Should have listened to the warnings. Built a bigger wall around your perfect little life. Because now, you've put them in the crosshairs. You think a few federal agents can keep them safe from truly motivated people? People who've hidden secrets for thirty years, who've removed obstacles with extreme prejudice?"

He smiled then, a slow, sickeningly triumphant curl of his lips. "You wanted to bring justice for Y/N L/N. A noble cause, I'm sure. But you forgot the first rule of this game, Detective. You bring a knife to a gunfight, you get cut. You bring a shovel to a graveyard, and you might just dig your own."

The unspoken threat, the insinuation that her family was still vulnerable, hung in the air. He wasn't giving up names, but he was delivering a message, designed to destabilize her, to make her question every decision. He was a professional, a conduit for their fear, and he was using it as a weapon.

Athena met his gaze, her own eyes hardening. He was playing mind games, but she was Athena Grant-Nash. She had faced down far worse than empty threats.

"You can play your games, Maxwell," Athena said, her voice a low growl. "But Y/N L/N won. And you and your employers are going to pay the price. You just signed your own death warrant by touching my family."

Miller stepped in, ending the interrogation there. They had what they needed: confirmation of his involvement, and a chilling insight into the conspirators' ruthlessness. But the final, sickening words from Maxwell would linger, a cold shadow over Athena's fierce determination.