Just a prediction for those of you who watch Jack Bauer (Kiefer Sutherland) do his thing on the hit TV show 24. Last season, Jack had to recover a stolen CIP device and save the country from critical infrastructure meltdown and multiple nefarious extortion attempts. Now you and I know that CIP is not a device, but protocol requirements for securing the various key infrastructure components in the United States.
So, this year, I predict, will be the year of the botnet for the new 24 season. Note, I have not read any insider scoop or talked to industry friends, I simply think that botnets are a hot topic and fit well in the terrorist/world-gone-mad flavor of the show. The big question is; can the writers, directors, and actors pull it off? How does one visualize and characterize some malicious code infecting a really big boatload of computers and some Ruskrainian overlord working the dials of the C&C server through his tech department. I hope I am right and I hope they get it right!
Zombies, drones, botnets and C&C masters certainly having an entertaining ring, but have you ever seen it done well? I am seriously trying to identify Hollywood getting it right, so if you have movie suggestions or otherwise…bring it on.
Ron
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Paul Moriarty, Umbra Data. Umbra Data said: Has Hollywood ever done a good job depicting hackers/malware? http://is.gd/50zQM [...]
With the amount of attacks from Asia on US web sites/systems–it will not be long before you hear our Gov talking increasingly about botnets–the real question is which news Agency will be the first to launch “Botnet Watch 2010!” — with four pontiffs on a split screen debating on policy and funding.
No doubt there have been many examples of governments being depicted as the bad guys doing malicious network based activities, and of course, 24/Bauer is about anti-terrorism efforts so it typically includes a nation-state component. But what I am truly interested in is big screen or small screen examples of private/illegal botnet activity for personal gain.