“I haven’t gone through this stuff in days. I’ve been busy with the processings from May’s list and overseeing the training of the new associate.”
He smiled. “I’ll let you get back to your work. Didn’t mean to interrupt.”
He left the office and headed back to management’s corner, satisfied with what he’d learned. De Florio and only two associates.
Until August.
Perfect.
8:20A.M.
JON TURNED HIS ATTENTION TO THE STACK OF PAPER ON HIS DESK,realizing that was perhaps the longest conversation he’d ever had with Christopher Bozin.
He wasn’t fond of the administrative prattle associated with his job, usually passing most of that on to his assistant. Some things, though, couldn’t be delegated, simply for appearances’ sake, and he started shuffling through the various memoranda that required his initials.
Most were reports from his two subordinates. He gave a few a cursory glance. One concerned the resolution of a troublesome theft situation at the Concord bag plant that had cost the company thousands of dollars. Half a dozen more involved personnel changes that required his approval. Since the fiscal year expired on June 30, the security department’s budget submission, prepared by his admin assistant, was there for review. But a memo at the bottom of the stack captured his undivided attention.
TO: J. De Florio
FROM: Computer Systems at Concord mill
DATE: June 9
RE: Power Surge / Security Breach?
A routine check of main computer core revealed electrical damage to the secured access circuits. Power interruptions were reported during thunderstorms this week. No specific damage was noted but a circuit board was found charred.Perhaps from a lightning strike. Power surge protectors did trigger and are thought to have insulated the system. However, there could have been a drop in the secured access system allowing entry into the secured files for a short period (approximately 1 to 2 minutes). Time of day makes any actual access unlikely. Most storms peaked after 9:00 P.M. when the vast majority of terminals with potential access were not in use. Wanted to make you aware of the possibility.
What day of the week had this happened?
The memo was dated last Friday and did not specify anything exceptthis week.
He grabbed the phone, dialed Concord, and got the sender on the line, keeping his voice calm and cordial. “I received your memo on the possibility of a secured file access. You talk about power interruptions during storms last week. Exactly what day of the week was that?”
“It’s hard to say, but the worst storm occurred last Tuesday, the sixth, which probably accounted for the damage. But there were storms on Wednesday and Thursday also.”
“Any evidence of entry into the secured files?”
“Not from our end. But there wouldn’t be. We rely on the secured access system for protection. Of course, the individual terminals would keep a record in their directories of any file entry.”
“Do we know which terminals were operating during the storms?”
“We didn’t go that far. And I really wasn’t going to. No maintenance requests came from any department. We don’t even know if there was a breach. Even if there was, it would have lasted only a minute or two at most. The odds of access at that time of day are pretty slim.”
“I’m sure you’re right,” he said for his listener’s benefit only,“and I appreciate your thoroughness. But why did it take a week to detect this?”
“No breakdown occurred and, for some reason, the backup system didn’t trigger any control panel alerts. Which, by the way, may also suggest that the system itself never failed. That’s why I saidcould havein the memo and put the question mark on the ‘re’ line. The actual damage was found only when we physically went into the system on Friday to do some routine work. Once it was brought to my attention, I thought I should report it. Odds are, my people tell me, no access into the secured system occurred at all.”
He thanked the man and hung up.
But he was not as convinced.
9:25A.M.
HAMILTONLEE WAS CHANGING HIS CLOTHES IN THE MARBLEbathroom adjacent to his office, replacing his Armani suit with a knit shirt and Ralph Lauren golf slacks.
“What’s the problem,” he called out, as De Florio walked into his office and closed the door.
He stepped from the bathroom.
