Absolute power in officialdom

Chapter 150 The Enemy's "Smoke Bomb"

Wu Zhiyuan nodded: "Yes, we have to race against the enemy."

Before the data is completely destroyed, we must find the mole, figure out how they stole the data, how they transmitted it, how much they stole, and to whom they transmitted it.

Xiaojing said, "Our initial assessment is that the enemy used a new type of data theft method. But even if they succeeded, they would still need physical media. How did they manage to smuggle the physical media out of Institute 835? That's a question."

Wu Zhiyuan suggested, "Could we now check the surveillance video to find any suspicious points?"

Xiao Jing nodded: "Tonight is destined to be a sleepless night for us."

While watching the surveillance video of the core area, Wu Zhiyuan keenly noticed that the second number on the electronic clock jumped directly from "17" to "19", missing the image corresponding to the second "18".

"It's happening again! The same suspicious points we discovered last time! The surveillance footage has been tampered with; someone replaced the actual time period when the incident occurred with pre-recorded footage."

Wu Zhiyuan made a new discovery while watching the surveillance video.

Log records show that between 1:15 a.m. and 1:20 a.m., three key cameras connected to the server room entrance all recorded a "signal quality degradation" lasting for several seconds.

This is no coincidence; it is someone deliberately creating interference to create a window for infiltration and operation.

Xiao Jing analyzed from the side, "I think this is a gang crime. It would be very difficult for one person to complete the task of stealing and transmitting secrets."

Replacing surveillance footage requires not only the highest level of access but also advanced technical skills. Based on my understanding of Zhang Dongsheng, he doesn't seem to possess this skill.

Someone was responsible for the physical operation, infiltrating the server room to steal data;

The other person was responsible for providing cover and erasing traces at the system level.

I even suspect there were more than two of them.

Wu Zhiyuan was deeply worried: "Institute 835 seems to be heavily guarded, but it has been infiltrated like a sieve."

Last time I accompanied Han Jie to inspect the security in the core area, we discovered many loopholes.

Afterwards, I took some measures, but even so, a major leak still occurred, indicating that there was more than one mole.

Moreover, they are highly professional; they are not ordinary espionage agents, but rather veterans of foreign intelligence agencies, or rather, they have received training from veteran foreign intelligence agents.

Xiao Jing pondered for a moment and said, "Zhang Dongsheng has the highest authority and is the most direct suspect in completing the surveillance replacement and system interference."

However, given his technical background, it would be almost impossible for him to independently accomplish such sophisticated data theft and trace erasure.

He is more likely an executor of a process, or a provider of permissions.

Wu Zhiyuan agreed, analyzing that "the replacement of surveillance videos and the interference with system logs must have been done after the data theft operation to cover up the traces."

This operation requires a stable environment and time, most likely the operator's office.

Zhang Dongsheng's office was undoubtedly the best choice.

However, according to access control and surveillance footage of some public areas, Zhang Dongsheng left Institute 835 around 6 p.m. last night and returned to his home in the city.

This is highly unusual. If he were a participant, he should have stayed at the institute to handle the aftermath at this crucial moment.

Xiaojing said, "There are two possibilities. First, he secretly returned to the office in some way that we haven't noticed yet."

Second, someone misused his privileges. Deng Li is increasingly suspected; she has a close relationship with Zhang Dongsheng and may have obtained his authentication information through some means, or coerced him into providing the privileges.

You'd better talk to Zhang Dongsheng face to face and sound him out. Don't be afraid to alert him; sometimes, luring the snake out of its hole is a good strategy.

Wu Zhiyuan said, "Understood. Tomorrow morning, I will talk to him under the pretext of familiarizing myself with system security, and test the waters."

The next day, as soon as he arrived at work, Wu Zhiyuan called Zhang Dongsheng to his office.

"Dongsheng, sit down." Wu Zhiyuan pointed to the chair opposite him and said in a calm tone, "I have carefully studied the security system of the core area during this period of time, and it is indeed very advanced."

But I have some questions I'd like to ask you.

For example, system administrators have very broad privileges, and the institute has always emphasized the separation of permissions and supervision.

In practice, is there a possibility of privilege abuse or misuse? For example, password leakage?

Without hesitation, Zhang Dongsheng said, "Minister Wu, our system has multiple verifications, the password is changed regularly, and it is bound to a specific terminal."

I am fully aware of the heavy responsibility involved and would never relinquish access to others or operate in an insecure environment.

Wu Zhiyuan observed his micro-expressions and continued to ask calmly, "Oh, of course I believe in your professional ethics."

But assuming someone indirectly gains access to your system through technical means, such as a Trojan virus or other methods, does the system have a corresponding logging or alert mechanism?

"In theory, abnormal logins and operations will be recorded, but if it is a sophisticated hacking technique, or an operation initiated from an authenticated terminal, the system may not be able to distinguish whether it is the person or not."

Minister Wu, is there some problem with the system?

"No, it's just routine information gathering and risk assessment," Wu Zhiyuan waved his hand and smiled. "You're the expert, I'm just learning as much as I can. Okay, that's all, you can go back to your work."

Zhang Dongsheng is gone.

Wu Zhiyuan had been observing Zhang Dongsheng's facial expressions.

He has received professional psychology training.

Zhang Dongsheng wasn't nervous at first and answered quickly, either because he had prepared in advance or because he really had no problem.

Later, it became clear that he was a little nervous.

The "Operation Blade" task force, led by Chu Jianguo, director of the First Investigation Division of the Provincial Public Security Department, was stationed at Institute 835.

Among the members of the task force was Li Xiaoyu, an old acquaintance of Wu Zhiyuan from the training course.

They were the visible investigative force, while Wu Zhiyuan and Xiao Jing continued to operate in the shadows.

Liu Ming, a data processor in the core area, surrendered himself to the police on the same day the National Security Bureau entered the station.

Liu Ming confessed that he was deeply in debt from gambling. In a predicament when he was being chased by creditors, he was "accidentally" rescued by someone from a consulting company called "Global Frontier Analysis". Subsequently, the other party induced him to provide some non-core internal management documents and general project directions of Institute 835 under the guise of providing "industry information consulting fees".

At first, he thought it was insignificant, but the other party's request gradually touched on more sensitive secret information.

He grew increasingly frightened, realizing that the other party was likely a spy, and even suspecting that his initial gambling addiction was orchestrated.

Hearing that the National Security Bureau had moved in, he became frightened and decided to turn himself in in hopes of receiving leniency.

The information provided by Liu Ming pointed to the consulting firm with foreign investment, which indirectly confirmed Xiao Jing's previous suspicions about the company where the mixed-race girl worked.

However, Liu Ming's contacts were at a lower level, and the information he provided was far from sufficient to constitute a channel for stealing the core data of "fusion".

His surrender seems more like a smokescreen or a scapegoat thrown out by the enemy, intended to confuse the investigation and cover up the real core thief.

However, things took a sharp turn for the worse.

That evening, Zhang Dongsheng, the system administrator on duty, was found dead in his office!