Chapter 104: 104:Traitors Inside
590 million downloads, that was the number of people who were using Codezipper, a testament to its widespread popularity.
Following the success of their first program, the users were eagerly anticipating the next innovative app from the parent company of CodeZipper. And as they had expected, Evan didn't let them down.
A beta version of the new app, System Manager, was released commencing people to try it and this blew their minds, leaving them shocked.
A new app was on the horizon and with it, the wind of a new revolution was already blowing.
The buzz in the tech world was electric. The launch of the System Manager promised revolutionary changes, and its very first day had set a high bar.
As the clock struck noon, the download graphs for System Manager shot up like a rocket. The server logs were flooded with activity, and engineers from various tech hubs across the globe watched in awe.
At NextGen Innovations' headquarters, a group of software engineers gathered around a large monitor displaying real-time analytics. The download graph resembled a series of jagged peaks, reflecting the frenzied activity as users rushed to update their devices.
"This is insane," muttered Jessica, a lead engineer, her eyes widening as she stared at the numbers. "I've never seen download spikes like this. The System Manager is absolutely smashing it."
Her colleague, Mark, who was analyzing the system's performance metrics, nodded in agreement. "It's not just the download rate. Look at this— every device, old or new, is running smoothly. It's like magic."
Meanwhile, in the technical support division, a team was fielding an avalanche of queries from users who were marveling at the newfound lag-free performance provided by their old phones. In one corner of the room, Steve, a senior support technician, was on the phone with an enthusiastic user.
"Yes, ma'am, the System Manager optimizes your phone's performance by efficiently managing background processes. It's designed to make even the older mobile models run like new, as long as you aren't pushing them beyond their limits."
On the other end of the office, a group of developers was deep in conversation about CodeZipper, the accompanying feature that dramatically reduced memory usage.
"We've seen a noticeable difference in memory consumption," noted Karen, a software developer. "CodeZipper compresses the memory usage by up to 70% without the device's compromising performance. It's revolutionary."
Tom, another developer, pulled up a graph showing memory usage before and after CodeZipper's implementation. "Look at these numbers. Users are experiencing a significant reduction in lag, even when multitasking."
As they discussed, the conversation turned to the technical implications.
"What about the long-term impact?" asked Karen. "Are we seeing any issues with memory allocation or stability?"
Tom shook his head. "Not yet. The testing phase showed that while CodeZipper is aggressively compressing memory, it's also intelligently managing the decompression process. We're not seeing any negative side effects so far."
Back at the main operations center, the excitement was palpable as the performance metrics continued to roll in. System Manager's success was evident not only in the user feedback but also in the sheer volume of data that was being processed.
"Looks like we've hit a new milestone," said Aria, observing the performance metrics stabilizing at unprecedented levels.
Just like CodeZipper, an upgraded version of System Manager for PCs was also in development, and the companies were already lining up and booking their slots.
In fact, they were now offering a 70% discount for Indra companies and start-ups.
"Let's keep an eye on these trends and ensure that everything remains smooth as more users come online."
"Ma'am, they are asking about its availability on PC, and when will we make it online."
Hearing this, a playful glint flashed in Aria's eyes as she responded, "Say that it's still undecided. Let's build up the hype a bit more."
_____
"Why did you take up the role of a girl."
[Do you want me to be a male?]
"..."
"At the beginning, your tone was neutral and childish so how did it turn into a cold, mature, and beautiful one?" Evan muttered, trying to shift the conversation.
[After going through all the data, I found that Sir prefers cold, icy mature beauty.]
Evan"..."
"Do you feel good tearing away my facade?"
"Whatever…"
Evan scanned the article on his computer when Aurora, his advanced AI assistant, alerted him of an alert notification.
[Sir, we've received a series of pings from the apps that had been wired through a bypass I created,] Aurora reported.
"Didn't we only deploy the initial version of Code Zipper? How did it result in multiple pings?" Evan inquired, puzzled.
[The initial deployment led to multiple unexpected instances of data transmission,] Aurora clarified. [If the app was replicated, it would result in multiple pings.]
н$оѕ$τ!ƹ∂-%о@п-
"Go on," Evan encouraged, intrigued by the situation.
[The first instance was flagged by one of our internal systems. It appeared to be replicating itself across various networks, establishing connections discreetly to avoid being detected. The replication process is ongoing, and the system is working to secure these connections.]
"And the second instance?" Evan asked, eager to understand the full scope.
[The second ping was traced through a secure channel, reaching us from an isolated network segment. It appears to have exploited a vulnerability in one of our network nodes, using it to communicate intermittently to avoid raising any alarms.]
Evan was impressed by the ingenuity displayed. "What kind of data did it transmit during this brief communication period?"
[The data suggests that the system is not an internal threat but rather an external one.] Aurora explained. [It appears that someone with access to sensitive data has been able to manipulate and distribute it covertly. This is likely the work of an insider who has partnered with external entities.]
Evan's surprise was evident. "So you're suggesting that someone within our network has been collaborating with external parties to access and distribute our software?"
[Yes, it seems highly probable, and this individual is likely a high-ranking insider who could facilitate such a breach,] Aurora added. [We should examine the schedules and activities of those having high-level access to narrow down the list.]
Aurora then presented a list of potential suspects:
- Chief Technology Officer
- Head of Security Operations
- Director of Internal Affairs
- Lead Software Engineer
- Senior Systems Administrator
- Director of Network Infrastructure
- Chief Data Officer
- Head of Compliance and Audits
- Senior Analyst, Cybersecurity
- Chief Operating Officer
- Director of Strategic Partnerships
- Lead IT Specialist
Evan's eyes lit up at the sight of the extensive list.
"Hahaha!"
"Hahahahah!"
"That's quite an extensive list," Evan laughed aloud, despite the gravity of the situation.
[Indeed, it is extensive because all these individuals have the necessary access and can operate without raising suspicion. We need to narrow this down by analyzing their schedules and activities.]
"And how long will it take to get a comprehensive analysis?" Evan inquired, hoping for a quicker response.
[The timeframe is uncertain. We either will need to wait for full access to all systems to analyze patterns or hope that our existing channels provide more direct information,] Aurora responded.
"Understood. Keep monitoring the situation and update me with any significant developments." Evan muttered with an evil glint.
'You all think that I don't know about poaching...'
"Aurora, keep an eye and wait...Soon, I am gonna fuck the living shit out of them..."
[.....]
A moment of silence prevailed in the air for a moment followed by Aurora's voice which sounded quite embarrassed.
[Sir, I didn't know that you had a hobby of having sex with anyone. You seemed to be very casual taking both boys and girls.]
PFFF!
Evan, who had just taken a cup of coffee, coughed, almost choking himself to death.
"I didn't mean it like that…"