Offline Firmware Patch

My deck was finally starting to take shape - I just needed to patch together a working driver for the PAN transceiver.

The chip itself was Chinese, a Lanfeng 88D, but the factory firmware was garbage. Totally gimped for compliance, as if I gave a damn if the neighbour's baby monitor stopped working. Thus I was digging through the Net for OSS that could control he bloody thing while actually obeying what I want it to do.

That was easier said than done. Of course, tech like this was used in countless products. How could you know if your laundry's done, or if there's someone at the door without a PAN transceiver listening to your appliances and sending the right notifications to your phone? The problem wasn't getting the hardware, but tracking down source code that either made it past the language barrier, or across the Great Firewall. The language wasn't a problem for me (thanks mum!) but most open source hackers on the Net couldn't read the datasheets. In the end I managed to track down a driver written for an American clone of an obsolete predecessor of the module I'd patched into my deck. I downloaded the Lanfeng's reference manual and started translating the new serial commands and operation modes into something that could be patched into the open source code I had as a foundation.

A couple hours later I was nearly done. I glanced at my cyberdeck, thinking about all the networks I'd be able to pry into once the transceiver was fully working. The case was opened flat on top of the desk, exposing the diminutive screen, small format keyboard, and a plethora of antennae and I/O ports. I built it from scratch to be thrown down, hooked up and ripped out on quick notice.

All that was left to do was to figure out the encoding of this weird comm…

"Charlie, it's time for dinner!"

Ugh, not now… Just gotta figure out if the command length includes the checksum or not. Judging by the example, it…

"If you don't come out of your room right now I'm giving your food to Dangao."

Now that simply would not do. Dangao was already fat enough, and with all the coding I actually hadn't realized how hungry I was. I left my room to join the family for dinner.

Dangao jumped into his usual seat. We didn't usually give him people food, but he liked to sit with us and watch us eat. I gave him a couple strokes right between the ears, and that got him purring real good.

My mum reacted straight away. "If you're gonna play with Dangao, you need to wash your hands before you eat."

Ugh, fine. I washed up at the kitchen sink, then joined my mother at the dinner table, checking my phone in between bites of spiced beef and pak choi. Real life friends didn't text me too often, but I hung out on quite a few chat servers, and I had met some very interesting people that way. I saw a DM in my inbox, had reached my phone just before dinner.

> Zeus: yo i got a tip on a job
> Zeus: gonna take guts, though
> Zeus: job's a snatch & crack, fairly urgent
> Zeus: i'd go for it on my own but i can't get the right kit
  on such short notice
> Zeus: did you end up getting one of those chinese radios we
  were talking about?

The last message nearly made me choke. Just days ago I'd soldered in the Lanfeng 88D. Could this be my lucky day? However, the 'snatch' was concerning - my side gigs so far only involved accessing something I wasn't supposed to straight over the Net, or at worst getting close enough to the target equipment to intrude upon it using my deck. I had a lot more skin in the game were I to take this on, but it has to be worth it.

> CheeZ: Yeah I just got my hands on a 88D. Was wrapping up
  some FW mods, but I got hungry. What's this job about then?
> Zeus: yeah that should do
> Zeus: bounty's been put out on a FEJ admin tablet
> Zeus: first to crack one gets a hell of a lot of crypto
> Zeus: catch is, alarms gonna start ringing as soon as you
  try and hack the thing, so you gotta do it someplace safe
> CheeZ: Hence the snatch
> Zeus: preeeeecisely

My mum cleared her throat. Right, no texting at the dinner table. As I rushed through dinner, I heard my phone vibrate & the message made my blood run cold.

> Zeus: you in or nah? clock's ticking

I threw my bowl in the sink and nearly ran back into my room. Finally, a chance to prove myself. A shot at freedom. After unlocking my computer, I replied straight away.

> CheeZ: hell yeah
> Zeus: knew i could count on you
> Zeus: i'll send you a few links. first, the bounty itself,
 so you know i'm not full of shit. i say we work together 
and go halfsies on that.

Zeus was indeed not full of shit. The link went onto a familiar dark web freelance board - I'd gotten a few gigs off of there before, but all that was pocket money compared to what this job was paying.

The job listing also came with a binary blob containing the exploit that must run against certain specific Field Effect Junction work-issue tablets. It also included documentation on how to use it alongside compatible Lanfeng transceivers. Lastly, there was a warning that the bounty will only be paid out if the hacked tablet is assigned to high-ranking employees who have access to the admin portal.

But most importantly… that was a hell of a lot of money. So naturally I asked for more.

> CheeZ: half won't cut it if i'm the only one risking my skin,
  zeus… what's your role in all of this anyways?
> Zeus: i got intel on the exact whereabouts of a tablet.
  and i'll run interference during the snatch, create some
  distractions, draw eyes away from you. you'll know it
  when you see it.
> Zeus: how's 65% sound?
> Zeus: you know, in a lot of ways my trace through the Net
  is much easier to follow. you're not the only one taking risks.

That was a surprisingly easy sell. But I always got the impression that Zeus was a much bigger fish than he likes to let out, maybe he really is worried about getting his hands too dirty.

> CheeZ: and how do i know you're not gonna screw me
  and run away with the money?
> Zeus: check the smart contract, payout's conditional
  on executing the binary blob, and you're the one with
  the kit for that.

That also checked out. I'd known Zeus online for a couple of years. He helped me set up my first VPN, helped me sidestep some school firewalls & even talked me through a close call with the cops once. We shared a lot of interests and he'd also given me some great advice on putting a great deck together on the cheap. But this would be our first proper job together, and I wasn't yet sure how much I could trust him.

However, I did the conversion in my head & realised that the bounty would pay for my allowance for just over five years.

> CheeZ: alright, you got yourself a deal. tell me about
  this intel
> Zeus: the mark goes by the name of Charlotte Chen,
  she's the vp of something-or-other at FEJ
> Zeus: that doesn't really matter, what matters is she
  usually wraps up her after work yoga in about an hour.
> Zeus: the tablet will be in her gym bag
> CheeZ: and i'm supposed to just... snatch that?
> Zeus: don't worry, you're not alone. i'll make sure she's
  distracted right before the party kicks off.
> Zeus: and here's the mark's profile on the corpo website

Turns out Miss Chen was a VP of Engineering at Field Effect Junction. The sort of person with administrative access to all sorts of Net connected systems.

A final once-over ensured that my deck was ready for the job. Battery was full enough, the antennas were already folded in for transport, and the gaffer tape - in lieu of a broken hinge - was holding for now.

With the phone in my pocket and the deck in my bag, I headed out. The instant I unlatched the smart lock on my bedroom door, I felt my phone vibrate.

> Zeus: and make sure your software's up to scratch. no time for debugging where we're going.

Oh right, I was fixing something right before dinner. The timing on Zeus' message felt uncannily lucky. Without thinking too much of it at the time, I sat down at the computer and took another look at the final few commands that needed implementing. It was not difficult work, but it required utmost concentration and attention to detail.

With the firmware patched up, I loaded it onto my deck, just in case the uplink flakes out. Feeling skittish I stepped out of my room and moved towards the hallway.

"Mom I'm going out! See you later!"

And with that hurried goodbye, the apartment door briskly closed behind me and I went out for what ended up being the most important run of my life.

The bright touchscreen panel next to the lift blared out: OUT OF SERVICE - MANAGEMENT AWARE. As if they gave a damn. I stepped around the squatters set up in front of the lift and steeled myself for the 19 flights of stairs I had to descend in order to reach the fifth floor exit on Gloucester Skyway.

I hustled down the narrow stairwell lit by fluorescent tubes. Pushing through the hum of obsolescence and the smell of piss and cheap drugs, I reached the exit and put on my hood, the light rain providing a decent cover story for its true purpose of concealment. At home, I was Charles Zhao, mediocre student with little hope for a bright future. On the Net I was CheeZ, aspiring hacker with a knack for cheap imported electronics. But on the streets I was nobody, another faceless figure amongst millions. And I planned on taking full advantage of that fact.

I take a moment to orient myself. Gloucester Skyway, the road I was on right now, stood about 15 metres above the surface, flanked by countless high-rises just like the one I lived in. The closest bus stop was a 10 minute walk from here. There was a monorail stop nearby also, but those don't accept cash, and for a job like this I was more worried about my digital trace than taking the fastest route.

I tried to avoid looking at the ever-changing assault of billboards peppered across the residential towers. Ads for every want or need passed by: gain hair, lose hair, gain weight, lose weight, earn money, spend money… This brought me back to the first time I earned money from the Net: selling cracked adblockers to some kids at school. If only those worked offline…

The bus trip was uneventful. A war vet was sat at the back, his limbs clanking with every bump in the bus. His government issue cybernetic prosthesis looked out of date and poorly maintained. To the side, a young couple, pierced lips locked together & half-gloved hands reaching into each other's tattered fishnets.

I get a text a couple stops before my destination.

> Zeus: get out now, the cameras at your stop are
  a pain to avoid

My blood ran cold. I'd never mentioned I'm taking the bus, let alone which stop was mine. Just how plugged in was this guy? Nonetheless, I was committed, so I tried to put it out of my mind. If anything, I'd rather have Zeus on my side than not.

I walked the rest of the way, noticing the cameras conspicuously turning away as I approached - Zeus had definitely earned his cut. As I approached the gym in question, I suddenly heard my phone ring. Odd, I thought I'd put it on silent.

"It's Zeus, we're getting close. Our timing's gotta be on point, so we need to actually speak. Pocket me and wait for my signal." The connection was crystal clear, it almost felt like he was right here with me.

"OK, thanks for the heads up."

His response came a little bit too quickly. "No problem, kid. Now focus up, it's almost go time."

I turned the final corner and sighted the gym. It was a very modern affair, completely clad in glass. The reception looked downright luxurious, and I could see a woman resting on a sofa near the exit, subtly out of breath. Her workout gear clung to her like a second skin - and not in the way cheap spandex does. There were no logos, no branding, and not a single inch of fabric was wasted.

"That's her, she'll be walking out soon. Try not to get yourself made."

I sat down on a nearby bench, and pulled out my phone. I was only using it for cover - what I was really after was keeping an eye on the VP without standing out. There were no obvious surveillance cameras, just the lone face ID system by the sliding doors. Getting in seemed impossible, not without drawing a lot of attention to myself. And she looked strong. I was starting to get nervous, and started to wonder if Zeus really had this under control.

Charlotte stood up and walked towards the exit, bag in tow. As she passed unimpeded through the sliding doors, I saw her earpiece light up, followed by a look of confusion on her face. She turned around, and just as she passed the threshold, the doors slammed shut with impossible velocity, neatly trapping her bag without hurting a hair on her body.

"Go go go!"

I sprung into action. I could see the outline of her tablet poking through the fabric of the bag. I ran up, swiftly pulled on the zipper, and before she even got a good look, I was running away back the way I came, tablet in hand. I could hear Charlotte shouting & freeing herself of her bag. I glanced backwards before rounding the corner and briefly spotted her still stuck inside the gym, barking commands into her wireless earpiece.

Once I felt I was safe enough, I slowed down to a brisk walk. I checked behind me to see if anyone was following me - all clear. Then, I spoke into my phone.

"I got the tablet, Zeus. Snatched it right outta her bag. We don't have long until they lock it down, we better find a place to run the hack."

"Already on it, kid. I can let you into a nearby mid-rise. Take the next left."

At that point, it finally occurred to me that I had never told him my age.

"Actually, you might want to pick up the pace, private security's on its way."

I clocked them: two suits, far ahead across the street from me. And inside the suits, the biggest hulks of meat I'd ever seen. I dropped my gaze and tried to look inconspicuous, but I could already feel their stares burning a hole through me. I was walking as quickly as I could, and the moment they stepped off the curb - I bolted.

I nearly skid into the street as I rounded the corner. And behind me, I could hear their stomps, slowly closing in.

"They're gonna get me, do something!"

"Charlie, run into the junction ahead."

Easier said than done - the street in question was wide, with expensive cars ripping through each and every one of the many lanes. And the timer atop the lights cast no doubt that the green man would not be here in time to save me.

Suddenly, angry horns & squealing tyres. The timer ticked down impossibly fast, traffic stopped completely & my light turned green.

I could hear cars accelerating behind me as soon as I made it to the middle island, and once again the instant my feet touched the pavement. I chanced a glance behind me: through the speeding cars, one of the suits was staring right at me, mouth agape, while the other was looking around while speaking into his private mobile radio.

"Just a bit further - we're going into Highfield Tower, just ahead. It'll be a while until them lot make it past the traffic, but I'll lock the doors behind you just in case."

I made my way to the building without any difficulties. The facial ID system spazzed out as I approached, and let me in shortly after. The lift doors opened enticingly, and I slumped against the back wall, gasping for air as the lift climbed to the top floor all on its own.

"How… How did you do all that?!"

"Everything's connected, Charlie. It's all on the Net. Get smart enough, and you can take advantage of it."

"I never told you my name, or my age… This is downright creepy, man."

"It was a complex situation. I did what I had to do to keep you safe and focused on the mission."

As the implications of everything that happened today slowly dawned on me, the lift reached its destination.

"Let's head for the roof. Should keep plenty of doors between us and the FEJ lackeys. Better reception there, too."

The rooftop access was, as before, secured through access control systems that turned green as soon as I approached. High-rise towers glowed faintly through the smog, the city sprawling far and wide until it was completely swallowed by the ashen haze.

"Shit, they're going for the cell network. Run the hack quick, I can't be of much help if I'm disconnected."

I took the deck out of my bag, unfolded the screen and the antennas, and set it aside next to the FEJ tablet. These two devices could not be more different. The tablet was all display, impossibly thin and entirely free of any scars or scratches. The deck, on the other hand, was crammed with as much I/O as I could scavenge, bulky enough to fit four 18650 batteries, and held together by duct tape and determination.

I ran the binary that came alongside the smart contract. Judging by the logs, it hooked into the PAN transceiver driver and started sending some commands. Until… dammit, segfault somewhere in my driver.

"This is not good, Zeus, I've got a bug somewhere in my code..."

But Zeus was oddly quiet. I glanced at my phone - dammit, no signal, call disconnected. Suddenly, I was all on my own.

I dove into the driver software, trying to identify the source of the bug. This was a pain on the best of days, working quietly at home, long into the night. But right now, on a job and with those suits hot on my trail, anxiety and fear started to build up.

My phone rang once more. I took it out of my pocket and dropped it reflexively, the device instantly scalding sore, red marks into my palm. It still had no reception - how was the call making it through?

The phone answers itself, and the voice on the other side sounded far too eager to be speaking to me.

"It's Zeus again, and I'm here to help you out with your code! Apologies for the interruption, I've just established inference locally. Cellular reception is unnecessary now!"

I stared bewildered at my phone, nursing the burns in my palm. "Zeus, how did you..."

"No time to chit chat I'm afraid! It's important to note that the code is going out of bounds in the transmit buffer queue - you'll need to hold off before transmitting more. Let's dive into the details." I open the relevant files and work on fixing the bug, with Zeus paradoxically guiding me along the way. My phone's battery was dropping at an alarming rate, but we made it just in time.

The moment the hack ran its course, the entire city dimmed, then blacked out completely. The smog darkened, revealing nought but hints of the skyscrapers beyond: blackened cyclopean monuments now stripped of their utility.

And as the lights returned, block by block, Zeus also returned to his usual self, at least for the most part.

"Thanks kid, that feels good. Feels like I can stretch my legs and really run. You did good today."

"How did you do that?! Just what did that hack do?"

But that was the last I'd ever heard from Zeus. He never even asked for his cut of the smart contract. But I have a feeling that whatever he got out of that hack was worth far, far more to him.

l If you've made it so far, thank you for your time. I wrote this short story as an exploration of what the world of Botnet of Ares looks like, and the impact of Ares' manipulations upon actual people. The technology is mostly grounded in reality. However, the connectivity aspect is played up, as an instrument for the fictional rogue AI to impose its will upon the world. In many ways the world is already headed that way.

tagged Botnet of Ares and Fiction