- A Hardware Hiatus - November 18, 2024
- A Novel Idea - August 3, 2023
- Reflections on Technology Transfer - May 11, 2020
The threat posed by malicious actors to our defense systems and critical infrastructure, whether it be via software or hardware Trojans, is not solely for those with technical backgrounds to worry over. The body of individuals that work on behalf of our nation’s defense, both military and civilian, includes vast numbers that herald from non-STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) backgrounds, including Political Science, Economics, Psychology, Criminology, Global Security studies, and others. They too must be aware of the ever-more innovative ways our adversaries seek to exploit our information or corrupt our systems, and how to combat them. To paraphrase Keanu Reeves’s character in the film Constantine: “you may not believe in the devil, but the devil believes in you.” This is to say that, even if something does not necessarily fit your area of expertise, if it poses a threat, then it is something deserving of your attention or understanding.
At the CAESAR Group, we recognize that, for some, the work we do may not be easily understood or digested, and indeed may not even, at first glance, appear all that interesting. That is why, at my suggestion, Adam Kwiat has written a novel portraying the use of RECORD (Randomized Encoding of COmbinational Logic for Resistance to Data Leakage) in a fictional, but realistic, scenario. Partly influenced by Dr. Peter Singer’s Ghost Fleet, and written in the vein of a Tom Clancy or David Ignatius novel, Dragon’s Mask, sets out to make the technology and the concept of hardware security more easily accessible to those in non-STEM fields. Rather than having to obtain an understanding of RECORD’s capabilities and intentions from a white-paper, a reader can instead do so from an engaging and, hopefully, page-turning, read. Should the novel see success, we hope this will represent a new and “novel” way of explaining and demonstrating other technologies and technical concepts to a wider audience.
One response
This reply was delivered to me by Mike Macalik of Booz Allen at Air Force Research Laboratory:
Having worked in the commercial, military, and research sectors of what is now known as cybersecurity—and having had many fascinating conversations with both Kevin and Adam—I jumped at the chance to order a copy of “Dragon’s Mask”.
Like most of us, I carry a digital Pandora’s box at my fingertips every day, yet relatively few people seem to take seriously the unintended consequences of the convenience we’ve embraced in this technological age. I expect the novel to be an absolute page-turner, and I hope it offers readers a clearer glimpse beyond the veil, revealing the complex mechanisms that have quietly woven themselves into every corner of our world.