Chapter 59
Chapter 59
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 59
Chapter Title: Appetizer
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The security community site Haemosu had a vulnerability reporting board. A new post had gone up there.
"It's been a while since something showed up on the old hole board."
Only full members could post on that board, and only the admins could read the posts. Whenever something was posted, a message pinged straight to the admins.
Site administrator Heo Mun-seok clicked on the new post in the vulnerability reporting board.
The post detailed a single security flaw.
"Huh? There's a vulnerability like this?"
Most posts on the reporting board covered stuff that IT security expert Heo Mun-seok already knew about. But this one was different.
"Never seen anything like this before?"
He searched the internet first, but nothing came up. Even digging through his go-to closed security sites turned up zilch on this flaw.
When absolutely nothing showed up in searches like this, it was usually some newbie mistaking a non-issue for a hole and posting it.
"Who the hell posted this... Wait, Dawn Rabbit?"
If the reporter was a real pro, you couldn't brush it off no matter how weird it sounded. Dawn Rabbit was the real deal, famous from day one of joining the site.
He tapped his fingers on the desk.
"Hold on. Did they join as a full member just to report this? Answering every single post with solutions?"
It made sense.
"Which means this vulnerability might actually be legit..."
The flaw didn't apply to every server. Haemosu's servers weren't vulnerable to this method either.
But a ton of servers set up differently could be cracked with it. At least, that's what the report claimed.
"Guess I'll test it out."
He picked one such server and tried infiltrating using Dawn Rabbit's method.
"Whoa."
The firewall from a security firm crumbled way too easily.
"Holy shit... This is real?"
Heo Mun-seok had contacts at the U.S. company that made the server OS and the firewall developers.
He'd passed vulnerability info to relevant devs multiple times before. Some they already knew and were fixing; others were complete surprises.
"These companies have no clue about this one."
The risk level was high too. The firewall fell apart effortlessly.
"Gotta handle this fast, or it'll be a disaster. If this leaks, servers will get popped left and right."
He drafted an email. The OS maker needed to patch the root hole for a perfect fix, but the firewall folks could block it too if they knew how.
"These guys are in for a group all-nighter. Tsk tsk."
Two days later, in the morning at the PC bang, AI Jeon Ji-in reported in.
- We've confirmed an emergency security patch installed on the servers we monitor regularly.
"That the one we tipped them off about?"
- The OS developer's patch notes are vague, but high probability it is.
"They kept the method hush-hush in the notes on purpose. Haemosu admin's on the ball."
- Seems like they have a direct line to the server OS developer.
"Cool, case closed. Let's grab breakfast and head to the workshop."
- Recommend Yangpyeong hangover soup special. They just opened.
"Sounds good."
Na Gang-in ate breakfast, then drove to the fabrication base in the modified metal shop. He finished yesterday's work there.
- Fabrication complete.
What he'd made was a defensive brace about half the length of a forearm. He eyed it and asked,
"Hmm... Ji-in, is this really the best you can do?"
- Best option under current circumstances.
"We were supposed to make a Dragon Plate bulletproof vest. This looks like a wrist guard. Where's my full upper-body vest that covers to the shoulders?"
- We're testing the limits of our fabrication gear while building the vest. The equipment's precision can't match my designs yet, so large gear takes time.
"Can't you compensate for the precision shortfall?"
- I'm a combat support AI, not a production AI. I have skills for cobbling vests from field gear, but not for boosting equipment precision.
"Hmm... Easier to make small?"
- Smaller surface area means simpler calcs and bigger error tolerance.
Na Gang-in held up the forearm brace. It was lightweight and thin. He strapped it on.
"Feels natural."
- Factored in usability too.
He flexed his arm, tensing his muscles. The brace expanded with them.
"Metal, but stretchy."
- Used interlocking joints instead of welds. Handles body shape changes within range by shifting parts.
"Doesn't that drop defense when it deforms? When's it strongest?"
- Optimized for combat: moderate tension in the arm is the baseline for peak defense.
"Defense rating?"
- Stops one 9mm pistol round.
Na Gang-in grumbled.
"Hey, it was supposed to stop multiple pistol rounds."
- Wider coverage with more parts disperses impact better for higher defense. Blocking even one round over half a forearm's area is thanks to my build quality.
"Blowing your own horn for once? How'd you hold back all this time?"
- Just stating facts.
"Fine. When's the vest done?"
- Design's complete. But with current low-precision gear, scrap rate from errors drags out production.
"Got a fix?"
- Buy better fabrication equipment.
"Simple. Budget?"
- Agent's recent earnings boosted our funds.
"Won't even cover the high-end stuff you want, even with CF money and security gigs added?"
- Here's a rational solution: Earn more money diligently.
"Uh... Ji-in, that's not rational. Just grind with what we've got. Scrap the duds; it'll finish eventually. We only need one vest anyway."
- Understood.
His phone rang. Caller: Lee Tae-ho.
"Hello."
- Gang-in, Lee Tae-ho here. You busy?
"Eh, was about to start something, but not slammed."
- My family runs a company called Ironman Engineering.
"Know it."
Jeon Ji-in's initial setup memory had 2022 Ironman Engineering gear specs. But 2023 models onward had none under that name.
- Could you check Ironman Engineering's security too?
"Don't they have a firm for that?"
- Yeah, same company that installed at our THO servers. Different team, I heard.
"Then just use them?"
- My brother heard about our incident and wants Ironman checked too.
Na Gang-in pondered briefly.
'Handing security gigs to Ji-in means sweet-talking her again. Pain in the ass.'
AI Jeon Ji-in chimed in.
- Good chance to secure funds.
"Hmm?"
Jeon Ji-in displayed a list of needed fab gear via AR lens.
- Lots to buy ASAP. Earn money quick.
"Now you're cooperative. Changes things."
Na Gang-in spoke into the phone.
"President Lee, where to?"
Na Gang-in drove to Ironman Engineering.
The HQ was in eastern Gyeonggi Province. They had a Seoul branch, but HQ, labs, and main production were all in Gyeonggi.
Na Gang-in arrived at Ironman Engineering.
THO Entertainment president Lee Tae-ho was already there, waiting.
Na Gang-in asked,
"President Lee not busy?"
Lee Tae-ho laughed.
"Hahaha. First time Gang-in visits Ironman, so I should guide you. Our THO staff are so capable, the company runs fine without me for a day."
"If you say so."
Walking into the building, Lee Tae-ho explained.
"Ironman makes gear for military and police. Security here's top-notch."
He pointed to the guard post.
"Gov-approved armed guards with real guns."
AI Jeon Ji-in whispered,
- Swipe a few guns here, firepower topped up.
"They won't manage arms that sloppily."
"Pardon? What was that?"
"Just wondering what to do here."
Lee Tae-ho outlined the job.
"Key tech servers are air-gapped, no internet. Can't hack from outside."
"Not calling me to verify that."
"R&D servers are isolated, but general company servers and employee PCs are internet-connected. Need those checked."
"Audit the existing firewalls?"
"Exactly."
Na Gang-in moved to the Ironman server room. Even if no issues, he'd get the agreed fee upfront.
The IT security firm's team lead, brimming with confidence, said,
"Heard you tested THO Entertainment's firewall recently. Ironman's already updated with the patch that fixed those holes."
Na Gang-in typed away and replied,
"Checks out."
The team lead probed,
"Got the vulnerability from the server company before the patch dropped? That's how you cracked it? Know someone on their dev team?"
"Nope."
"Huh? Then where'd you hear about it?"
Na Gang-in didn't answer.
The external-facing servers held sales data, gear specs in development, and more—strong security made sense.
After auditing, AI Jeon Ji-in reported,
- Current hacking tech can't easily breach this. A-minus grade by today's standards.
"Tough for now, but crackable with effort?"
- Found three spots needing reinforcement. Fix 'em, hits straight A-grade.
"All known issues by current standards?"
- Yes.
Explaining himself risked fumbling words.
"Just list 'em in a doc."
AI Jeon Ji-in popped up a text doc with brief issues and fixes for the three points, then reported,
- Minimal info only. Implementing all means that team pulls all-nighters for days.
Na Gang-in caught the subtext.
"You kept it vague on purpose, huh?"
- That guy downplayed my THO work, implying I got patch news early and exploited it.
"Petty streak, eh?"
- Nature Robotics' anti-hack tech is Earth Union top-tier.
"Yeah, yeah. Team lead bruised our Ji-in's pride. Got it."
Na Gang-in stood.
"Security's solid. A-minus level."
The IT team lead scowled.
"A-grade's A-grade. Why the minus?"
"A few weak spots."
The team lead smirked.
"Name 'em. What's the problem?"
Na Gang-in pointed to the notepad.
"Wrote it there. Take a look."
The team lead's face soured more.
"Just a few lines, what're you... Huh?"
Reading the note, the team lead looked flustered.
"These are weak spots?"
"Plausible, right? Fixing 'em all? Few all-nighters ahead."
The team lead hesitated.
'If these are real, not quick fixes...'
He'd heard about Na Gang-in breaching THO's firewall days ago. Couldn't outright dismiss the doc.
His department head's words echoed:
- THO's the Ironman pres's son's company. If they think we're incompetent, Ironman maintenance contract's at risk. When he audits today, downplay the prior incident.
The team lead had spun the old vulnerability as no biggie per orders. Patch was done, no sweat.
But now three new ones.
Even if true, not immediately exploitable. Still needed fixing.
But timeline? Na Gang-in said days, but team lead wasn't sure.
He ventured,
"Could you help a bit...?"
"I'm here for audit only. Pushing full remediation my way?"
THO's Lee Tae-ho wasn't IT but grasped the flow.
Lee Tae-ho cut in smoothly.
"Does fixing this require Ironman to contract Na Gang-in for security?"
The team lead, sensing a loss, shook his head fast.
"No. We'll handle it definitively."