"The first possibility is that 'Samaritan' is still in the early testing phase and hasn't officially launched. The Efficiency Department's work over the past few years is clear to all. It's not as easy as it used to be to secure sufficient funding for a secret project like this."
Kate paused, her tone losing its previous casualness. "The second possibility is that the system is already online, but it's operating on a relatively closed, independent network."
Jack was marveling at the increasingly human-like nature of the "robot" baby, progressing from its mechanically spliced, recorded speech to expressing emotion simply through tone in less than six months.
But Kate's second possibility quickly caught his attention. "A relatively closed, independent network?"
He averted his gaze from the towering marble obelisk not far away and asked uncertainly, "You mean 'DISN'?"
The international internet is vast, and Kate can navigate it unimpeded. Even though Seris, across the Pacific, has built a wall, it can't prevent those inside from climbing out, nor those outside from climbing in.
But there was one network Kate rarely accessed, or rather, avoided specifically to avoid revealing her presence: the "DISN"—the Defense Information Systems Network.
In the late 1960s, the Department of Defense funded the ARPANET project, successfully connecting computers at numerous universities and research institutions, enabling information sharing and communication.
Initially developed for purely military purposes, the project aimed to enhance the military's communications resilience in the event of a nuclear attack.
With the advent of the TCP/IP protocol, in the 1980s, the ARPANET was split in two. The military communications module became an independent network platform called "MILNET," while the remaining network became a civilian network, the precursor to the modern internet.
With the rapid development of the internet, military networks also evolved rapidly, gradually forming three different levels of security.
"MILNET" evolved into "NIPRNET," used to exchange unclassified sensitive information between the internet and the military intranet. Security buffer zones were established between the internet and the military intranet in four locations: Columbia, San Antonio, Mechanicsburg, and Oklahoma City.
SIPRNET is a computer network connecting the Federal Department of Defense with various government agencies (including embassies abroad), encrypted using an NSA-certified encryption system.
Furthermore, there's the Joint World Intelligence Communications System (JWICS), a top-secret network connecting all 16 federal intelligence agencies.
During the First Gulf War, while the Serbs marveled at the possibility of modern warfare and spent decades scrambling to catch up, the Federal Department of Defense also undertook a major upgrade of this global military command system.
This war exposed the problems of information systems lacking interoperability and adaptability to joint operations, leading to the development of Project Warrior.
This project connected NIPRNET, SIPRNET, JWICS, and the command and control systems of NATO allies, ultimately forming the current DISN.
By 2000, the US military had over 2,000 data centers, over 15,000 independent military networks, and over 7 million computer devices worldwide.
The massive maintenance costs were becoming increasingly burdensome for the Pentagon, leading to another overhaul a decade ago, unifying its security architecture and deploying a Joint Regional Security Stack across its 23 integrated data centers.
This system encompasses a wide range of advanced security technologies, including identity management, cyber situational awareness, threat detection and discovery, and tracing and countermeasures.
Whenever an unidentified cyberattack is detected, the National Cyber Investigative Joint Task Force (NCIT), formed jointly by the Department of Defense (DOD), DHS, the FBI, and the CIA, is mobilized.
Of course, the usual practice remains: if the attack originates internationally, the CIA leads the investigation; if it originates domestically, the FBI and DHS take over.
The point of all this is to clarify: federal military networks are not completely disconnected from the internet. Even the highest-level "JWICS" is, in theory, physically isolated, not disconnected.
Therefore, Kate, the "robot" baby, granted certain permissions by the NSA, has unfettered access to the lowest-level "NIPRNET."
In fact, in news reports about a prodigy hacking into the Department of Defense network, the network attacked is often referred to as NIPRNET.
However, Kate typically uses this network to passively receive authorized shared information from higher-level networks.
This can be simply understood as preventing her from accessing the "black core" network comprising SIPRNET and JWICS. However, she can access the "virtual security domain" of authorized shared content through NIPRNET, effectively enabling her to read only.
However, if the intelligence provided by Omega is true, and the Samaritans were indeed placed within the DOD's DISN and granted elevated clearances, then Kate's inability to detect their presence is understandable.
The problem is that if Kate was able to exploit NSA access to forge instructions and smuggle a server containing her core software from a secret Department of Defense facility under the guise of maintenance, then the Samaritans, with their elevated permissions, could potentially do even more. Of course,
theoretically, the scenario depicted in some science fiction novels, where an evil AI takes control of a military network and launches a nuclear attack on another major power, triggering a nuclear apocalypse, is unlikely to occur.
After all, no federal bureaucrat, no matter how foolish, would be so foolish as to hand control of a "big killer" weapon to a so-called artificial intelligence. All nuclear weapon launch procedures are manually controlled and require multiple security verification processes.
It's well known that the code for the "nuclear button" black box, which is always with the President, is six zeros. This may be a rumor, but it's not far from the truth.
The key to launching a nuclear weapon lies not in obtaining the "nuclear button" but in the authentication process.
The "nuclear button" black box is theoretically just a high-quality communicator connected to a dedicated Secret Service vehicle.
The most important documents are four classified documents. The first is a nuclear strike manual, which lists four nuclear attack scenarios with varying degrees of intensity, and also records the number of federal nuclear missiles, their deployment locations, and planned launch routes.
The second document is a list of secret bases available to the President, such as the famous Cheyenne Mountain Base. Anyone who has seen "Independence Day" will recognize it, home to the North American Aerospace Defense Command, a fortress capable of withstanding alien spacecraft attacks.
The third document is the emergency broadcast procedure, which records the process of the President making a national broadcast.
The fourth document is a certification card. Once it is confirmed that the president has lost contact or the "nuclear button" is suspected to have fallen into the hands of the enemy, this card will immediately become invalid. This also means that any order issued in the name of the president will be deemed invalid.
The actual launch process for a nuclear missile is more complex. Take, for example, the "Minuteman" missile silo, a similar process depicted in several Hollywood films.
Controllers must confirm the same command through multiple communication systems, including dedicated telephones, high-frequency and low-frequency radios, before they can remove the key. Two people must simultaneously insert the key for launch.
Therefore, Jack isn't particularly concerned about "end of the world" scenarios. Even if the "Samaritans" were entrenched in the military network, the damage they could actually cause in the short term would be extremely limited.
External threats are out of the question. While the Empire may be aging and decaying, as the saying goes, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse.
In a hilarious ranking of air power in Jack's previous life, the Federation Air Force was ranked first, followed by the Federation Naval Aviation in second, the Great Mao's Aerospace Force in third, the Federation National Guard in fourth, and the Federation Marine Corps in fifth.
The reason this ranking is so hilarious is that, besides separately listing the aviation power of each branch of the Federation to demonstrate its invincibility, it also ranks the Indian Air Force sixth in the world, with the Seres Air Force only in seventh.
While the list may be comical, it also indirectly reflects the Federation's military strength. For now, at least, aside from a country that never reveals its true strength, even photographing an aircraft carrier as if it were a flat-top fishing boat, no external force can pose a substantial threat.
Therefore, rather than the so-called apocalyptic crisis, Jack's concern isn't about nuclear bombs, but about unmanned combat systems potentially controlled by the "Samaritan."
He hasn't yet figured out where the true enemy lies, but he can roughly surmise that their strength within the Federation far exceeds their own.
According to Finch and Gen's recent investigations, the "Samaritan" was designed by his college classmate and friend, Arthur, and is an artificial intelligence system using the same core code as the "Machine.
" The NSA initially assigned it to Decima Technologies as a backup to the "Machine," the "Polaris" project.
However, with Jack's intervention, Mr. Greer, the mastermind behind Decima, unexpectedly withdrew, forcing the NSA to reclaim the already half-finished "Samaritan."
What happened next remains unknown, but it's clear that a shadowy force took a liking to this more "open" AI program and handed it over to the Department of Defense.
Jack's only consolation for now is that he doesn't have to worry about being targeted by assassination missiles launched from high altitude by drones.
Due to Kate's limited authority, the "POIs" have been operating in small groups within New York City, attracting little attention and keeping Jack, who occasionally offered assistance, hidden.
However, the presence of a potentially self-aware AI within the military network is definitely not a good thing.
The existence of a mysterious force plotting something, combined with the fact that the "Always Vigilant" group has repeatedly evaded Kate and the FBI, gives Jack a sense of foreboding.
He remains hesitant about whether to risk Kate tracking the "Samaritan."
The NSA's failure to detect Kate's escape is their greatest advantage. The enemy is in the dark, while we are in the dark. At least in this respect, neither side has the upper hand.
Finch isn't the only computer genius in the world. Just like his classmate, Arthur, was also able to design the "Samaritan," the NSA is an intelligence agency comprised of thousands of mathematical geniuses and computer experts from across the United States.
Allowing Kate to breach a highly classified military network beyond her authorized scope carries an extremely high risk, not just for Jack's personal safety.
Kate's true form is currently hidden in the Shangri-La data center. If discovered, it would be a disaster for everyone, implicating both the "POIs" and Jack's friends.
Therefore, Jack plans to discuss this matter with Finch upon his return to New York.
Finch designed Kate to be more of an observer. In contrast, the "Samaritan" is far more ruthless, directly intervening in, and even taking over, everything in the human world, controlling the Federation's economy, politics, and military, manipulating public opinion, and eliminating any destabilizing elements.
At least that's how it appears in the original series.
But Jack still doesn't know how to convince Finch that Kate will take this risk.
The Mammoth pulled into the Capitol's underground parking garage. Jack didn't have to wait long before Zoe, escorted by a male and female bodyguard, arrived.
Both bodyguards, from the Shangri-La security department, knew Jack. After escorting the congresswoman to the car, they departed.
Jack watched Zoe fasten her seatbelt and asked with a smile, "Are you going to the White House to pick up Maureen?"
That's the perk of being a federal agent: occasionally acting as a bodyguard doesn't arouse suspicion. It's perfectly normal for senators and ministers to have a few FBI friends.
Although Maureen is now a cabinet secretary, HUD (Department of Housing and Urban Development) is a truly chill office. While there may seem to be plenty of meetings, and she often has to face the president's beatings in Congress, there's really not much real work to do.
While other Secretaries of Defense, Treasury, and State would tear the White House apart, Maureen has barely even met the President in person.
On the way here today, Jack contacted the two women and was a bit surprised to hear Maureen say she was going to the White House.
"No need, the Secret Service has already taken her away." Zoe smiled brightly at Jack.
"Secret Service?" Jack, who usually didn't pay much attention to politics, suddenly had a flash of inspiration today and instantly thought of the news he had seen this morning. "Ah! The President is going to give the State of the Union address tomorrow, and Maureen has been chosen as the 'Designated Survivor'?"
The so-called "Designated Survivor" is a security plan developed during the Cold War to prevent the extreme situation of a nuclear strike or large-scale attack that would kill the President, Vice President, Cabinet members, and Congressional leaders, creating a power vacuum.
(End of this chapter)