Deep within the outer regions of New Eden where no others have gone or been before
Concord Deep Space Special Operations Report 3A10-45T
Unknown device located in deep space region surrounding New Eden
“What the hell is that?”
“Where?”
“That thing over there on that glacial chunk of ice.”
“Is it Jovian?”
“Not certain, It could be True Sansha maybe even Talocan. I don’t recognize any of the markings as coming from New Eden.”
“What ever it is lets get it topside to war ops before someone else finds it.”
“Roger.”
Here is a new type of cyber attack that would decimate the entire planet.
I was thinking about it’s use while trying to download a trial version of CS5.
We know that trial programs run a 30 day timer that after the trial portion is over with a key is required for activation.
We also know that a PC or Server runs on various algorythms such as the calendar, clock and recorded keystrokes.
Now lets suppose a very good hacker is able to implement a count down into a virus program that functions the same way that a trial program counter does.
The virus is inserted into a PC or Server’s mainframe in the normal manner of virus insertion where it has been scripted to activate based on any number of functions such as activating on a date, clock, number of times the computer is turned on or off, an algorythm of typed keys such as typing the letter A, E, G, I, L ect. a certain number of times. Any combination will work really and the more systems that are keyed to the activation of the timer the better the virus will work if one system of the virus fails. Once the activation keying sequence is complete the virus activates without the user knowing it and after 30 days the user receives of message saying
“Your Trial Subscription Has Ended. Please Input Your Activation Key.”
The only problem is there is no customer service to call to buy the activation key from nor is there any real world key that will unlock the takeover. The only way to effectively remove the virus is too completely wipe your hard drive or server clean and start over. Such an attack would render all internet services dead or destroyed until the servers could be rebooted thus causing hundreds of trillions of dollars to be lost or possibly stolen along with companies using online services to monitor their factories being essentially shut down. Machines would overheat and break causing injury or death to those around them, medical facilities using internet services to monitor and administer a patients medicine would not be available and the patient would die, communications around the globe would break down in an instant resulting in a wordwide Pandemic of unheard proportions.
So remember the next time that you see “Your Trial Time Has Expired Please Activate Your Account Now.” remember that there is someone out there right now trying to use the same trial account technology as a virus to effectively shut the internet down.
I am calling this end of world virus the Global Leviathen Virus and internet security companies had better figure out how to protect against it before a country like China or Russia tries to use it to cause worldwide chaos.