Log:Banking On It: Cyberattack

{{LogBox | LogTitle=Banking On It 1: Cyberattack | Location=Naboo | Participants=Pilha Aino (GM), Hahtavi Kora, Cora Das | OOCDate=July 14, 2022

A monolith bank rises high about the streets of the capital city of Naboo. A shard of glass and metal piercing the dull grey sky. The foyer the trio are ushered through screams money. Loooooootsa money. Pure white, with tasteful art on the walls, uncomfortable-looking fashionable seating in the shape of pebbles in tasteful shades of white, grey and cream in small circles around low coffee tables. Even the droid receptionist looks sparking clean and expensive. The droid bids them to sit on one of the low chairs while they wait.

Pilha ambles over to a chair, explaining as she does so. She's contacted them and called the others over only a few hours ago. "The bank's security chief is a friend of mine," she explains in her odd accent. "Called me late last night. Bank's in the middle of a cyberattack, whole place has been shut down. So, the chief called me to find some help and help them get bakc online. Quiet like, I don't think they want anyone to know they've been compromised."

Cora Das follows alongside Pilha Aino, head cocked delicately to the side. She likely looks a touch out of place in this den of wealth and luxury, with her modified light trooper armor that looks more fit for bashing in faces than for de-compromising a security network. But hey. Maybe some server racks need punching. Her eyes flit about the place, optic drives whirring just beneath. Subtle. She's an odd duck, but you'd probably not peg her for a robot. Maybe. A nod is given to the droid that bids them to sit in one of the chairs, and she does just that.

"Lots of credits move in and out of places like this. Clientele catch word that there's been a compromise, that stream might dry up. Makes sense they want to keep this on the hush," she says. She leans forward and plucks one of the flimsiplast bottles of water from a nearby tray and twists it open. If any of them glance in her direction, she'll simply shrug. "If they're offering."

Having an armored Mandalorian arrive and join the others in the fancy bank's lobby is almost certain to make the bank tellers nervous. Unless they were interviewing him for some special security. As it is, Hahtavi stops and gives Cora and Pilha a nod, not yet removing his helmet. <"So ... cyber terrorists."> He takes a look around, <"I can see why they'd want to hit a fancy place like this. What do we have? How did it start?">

Pilha has put on her void armor so like the rest of the trio, she looks out of place. Her helmet is sat in her lap. Pilha shrugs at Cora. Go nuts. "Yeah, I bet they're panicking if they need to bring us in," she says the the HRD. Pilha leans forwards, to answer Hahtavi. "Started just before midnight, before the final cash sweep of the day went through. Network's up but they're locked out of every computer and terminal." Pilha is about to say more, when a door at the back of the foyer swishes open (expensively) and a young, slender woman steps through. Wearing slacks, a crumpled top and looking tired. Her hair is dyed bright blue, green and purple and she just screams programmer. She pauses at the trio, particularly the masked Mandalorian, she hangs back by the door and waves frantically at them. "Psst!" She hisses at them in a Core accent. "Through here."

Pilha glances at Cora. "Smooth, real smooth," she murmurs.

"Very smooth," Cora says, and places both of her hands on her thighs as if to add a bit of extra leverage for her rise to her feet. That armor is fairly light, but it has heft. A far cry from Beskar, but it doesn't seem made for the wearer's protection particularly in mind. Again. It's punchin' armor. Little spikes and angry bolts on the fists. She tips her head to the side and crosses the hallway towards where the tired looking woman with the pretty hair beckons them over. "I love your hair," she comments, delivery dry and fairly flat, but that probably means it's extra believable! She maneuvers past the woman and through the door. A glance is spared to the Mandalorian and Slicer over her shoulder, but she tips her head forward and her bottle of water back. Glug glug glug.

The Mandalorian turns his T-visored helmet to look at the woman who comes out to speak to them. No one can see or hear him chuckle at Pilha's comment. A good eye might pick up the very slight tremor of his trying not to laugh through the shoulders of his armor and chest. <"All right then. Let's have a look."> Both women are gestured to proceed him to follow the bright haired woman into the lushly appointed offices. Quietly Hahtavi is smirking behind his helmet.

Once in semi-privacy, even if there may be security cameras, the Kora finally removes his helmet and clips it to hang off of his belt. Hahtavi takes a seat at one of the terminals without asking and produces his UCI from one of his armor's vambraces. He plugs it in, trusting to his own ICEware to keep anything out that might try to attack his armor's electronics as he starts to see if he can get into the system for a look see.

While he gets started, Hahtavi asks, "Bank had any contact? Any messages, demands, anything yet?" He glances at the bright haired woman who didn't offer a name yet.

The woman stands back and presses the button to keep the door open so the slicers can walk through. The IT corridor and office of the bank looks... decidedly shabbier than the foyer but it is still pretty fancypants compared to Nar Shaddaa or the lower levels of Coruscant. Definitely nicer than Mandalore too. The IT staffer fidgits nervously then when Cora addresses her she shyly touches her hair, twisting it round her finger. "Really? I usually have it red, orange, yellow but I fancied a change.... Oh!" She says when Hahtavi addresses her. "Oh, um, yeah. We were asked for a ransome. The Chairwoman received a demand. I'll um, oh names! I'm Talya. I do network security but um..." she trails off, faintly embarassed. "We're stuggling to get past the encryption the slicer added." Talya pauses and looks up as an older woman, sinewy and short and with short grey hair and a world-weary expression. "Ok, Talya, I'll take it from here," she says quietly as she approaches. Talya looks vaguely relieved as she scuttles away. She gives Pilha a tired smile. "Pilha, good to see you," she says.

Pilha, having stepped through with the other two, holds out her guantleted hand to shake the Chief's hand. "Chief, heard you needed some help." The older woman nods, and introduces herself to Hahtavi and Cora. "Chief Ghalina," she says curtly. "Well, Talya may have given you some information. Network's up but we're locked out of the terminals. I need you to break the slicer's encryption, get everything working again, and find out how the slicer did it. I want any information you can gather on their identity as well. If possible." With that, the Chief settles in a chair. She gestures at Hahtavi's terminal. "I'll just sit here and see how you get on."

Cora Das watches the shy smile and the little touch of the hair. Her own lips quirk into an amused sort of smile that surprises her, and she turns those eyes to look at the woman's hair again. Quietly considering. "Really. But I bet those colors would suit you too," she says. Her attention shifts to Pilha and Hahtavi as the two ask their questions and the three are briefed. When it comes for names, Cora Das gives a little nod to Talya. Cora's introduction follows Pilha's.

"Cora Das. A pleasure to meet you," she says, eyes tracking the nervous woman on her way out the door. More introductions. "Chief," she says curtly, following Pilha's handshake before politely shuffling aside to let Hahtavi get in on the introductions. She's sure he loves being personable. "The best way into a building is sometimes the front door," Cora says. Her eyes sweep the place, looking for familiar bits of surveillance and security hardware with known security exploits.

"The cameras outside were clean, but," she murmurs over her shoulder to Hahtavi, Pilha, and the Chief. She turns towards the door and taps a swipe-card access point. "This model has known security exploits in their firmware. Unless you've gone through the trouble of updating each manually to the newest, it may have provided a means into your system. Manual through swiping or, if they're quite adept, even virtually."

Pilha slips into a terminal chair next to Hahtavi and slips her helmet on. She grabs a datapad from a pocket on the fibreweave under of her armour and plugs it in to the terminal. She soon gets to work, gaunletted fingers tapping away on the datapad as she begins to battle with the mystery slicer's layer of encryption. Finally, she nods to herself. "I'm through the encryption," she informs the others quietly. "Still need to slice the programme locking us out, but at least we're through the first layer."

Nothing immediately jumps into attacking his UCI connection so Haht can give Talya his attention as he listens. A faint nod to mention of ransom. Then his pale grey eyes are shifting to observe the older woman as she arrives. "Chief, we'll do the best we can. Should be able to get you something." What exactly he doesn't know yet himself. a glance at Cora and Pilha sa they settle about various terminals even if they have to spread out into other offices. It's a very different kind of battle, one more of wits and skill than guns.

Initially, Hahtavi frowns at the data he begins to encounter, focused on working out how to get through the encryption. But it's Pilha's profession and no surprise that of the three of them, she's the one who can finally break it and get through. He gives a small nod and focuses down, trying to slip through with her keys and start having a look around.

While he does that, the Kora's face is serious and intent, focused on what he's trying to do.

Cora Das finishes tapping on the keycard access point and folds her arms over her chest. While the other two begin their work on the computer system, Cora does what she does best: she investigates. She gathers information, listens, and observes. "Do you know of any employees that may have reason to... retaliate? A disgruntled desk worker can do as much damage as an expert slicer with the proper cause and," she gestures back to the security box, "Access. Or are you aware of anyone that would -benefit- from the harm caused to your bank's name? Total shutdowns like this are expensive, and they're only costing more and more with every minute."

Cora Das is searching for a motive or a culprit. It's not as immediately handy as Hahtavi and Pilha's work with the slicing, but it does seem like it would be helpful information to have.

Chief takes a breath in and brings her hands behind her head. She interlaces her fingers and stretches out her legs and looks at Cora steadily. "We checked in verbally with Personnel and each manager," she says quietly. "We identified three employees who left within the last month. Two left voluntarily, although one left after failing to obtain a promotion. One was terminated for negligence." The Chief shrugs. "Of course, it could be someone who left before that or a current employee but my guess was along yours. We'll be able to obtain more information once we're back in. As for enemies," the Chief raises her eyes expansively, as if looking through the ceiling of the IT cave to the C-Suite hundreds of floors above. "We have competitors. Our clients have enemies."

Pilha glances at Hahtavi briefly as he frowns then bends over her datapad. As usual, when working the dark-haired slicer is silent. She leaves the talking to Haht and Cora. The woman works, smiles when she gets in but scowls and huffs as the slicing evades her.

Not having any luck doesn't fluster him, not yet. Hahtavi's fingers keep tappity tapping at least until Cora's asked her questions and the Chief begins to answer. The Kora pauses at that point for a moment to pull off his gauntlets, watching and listening to the bank manager. Something about what she says makes him just stare at her for a moment, or study her. Then he turns his chair, tucks his gloves into his belt and puts his helmet back on so he can focus.

The pause has taken his attention from the task he had been attempting, so Haht gets back to it. But over their shared coms now Pilha has her helmet back on, his baritone can be heard. <<"My gut says she knows who's behind this or she's witholding something. Evading meeting our eyes, lacing her fingers but still figiting. You know her better than I do, Pilha.">> Cora's asking good questions though.

Out loud he says, <"We'll want a look at your employee records if you don't mind.">

Cora's eyes dial into something about the woman's face. A tick, maybe. She can't be sure, but she thinks she's lying. Hahtavi's voice over comms is more than enough to confirm her suspicion, and she tips her head, bird-like, to the side. "Mmm. I see. It seems like you're conducting your own internal investigation," Cora says. She doesn't press the woman or accuse her. Rather, she gives a calculated little sigh and turns her eyes towards the two working on the computers.

"It is so frustrating when something like this comes from the inside. You think you can trust the people you surround yourself with. You make sound decisions. You put safety nets in place. I do not envy the position you are in."

Cora places a hand on her hip, idly fingering at the button that, if pressed, would pop out the concealed vibrodagger sitting behind durasteel armor on her right thigh. "Bank as big as this is bound to have enemies, yes. Funny thing about money, though, is how... equalizing it is. Know of any client enemies that do absolutely no business with a bank as large as this? I can't imagine there are all that many." Cora presses, her tone conversational and curious. Not accusatory.

Chief sighs and shrugs, "If I had my way we'd screen people a /lot/ more thoroughly, but Personnel and the VPs insist that we take a view when we need talent. Our weakest link is always going to be our people." Chief keeps tight lipped about the bank itself. Hmm.

Pilha looks up, her helmeted head shifting position. "Huh?" She says to Hahtavi on their internal comm. "Really?" She doesn't turn her head to look at Chief, not wanting to give away their conversation. She trusts Hahtavi's opinion, though. He's the expert here. "Cora will draw her out." She tries again to slice the computer, and sighs slightly in frustation when she fails.

His gaze behind his helmet's visor flickers to Pilha as he listens to her, then his attention is back to the task at hand - which is proving difficult for all of them. He shifts his jaw and sits there, plodding along, trying one thing after another, moving through files, doing searches, then chasing through strings of code ... It's taking them a while. Patience, it takes that, and tenacity. Finally the Kora shifts his weight in his seat and says, <"I've got it."> A serious expression no one else can see, scrolling slowly through something he's unlocked.

<"Systems should be accessable now. Also, here ... looks like a direct upload into the system from a local terminal. Not an outside hack."> He pushes his chair back and looks to Cora, then Pilha, a finger to his screen for Pilha to double check what he's found.

A look then to the bank chief, <"Terminal 007-1. Doesn't mean a regular user of that terminal did it. Another's login could have been used."> Haht turns back to his work to see if he can determine that data though Pilha may be able to eek out more details.

As Hahtavi gets them in and Cora continues to press the Chief, Pilha tips her helmeted head at Hahtavi. "Nice one," she tells him.

The Chief smiles, a wave of tension leaving her. "Hmm, Terminal 007-1, that's the trading floor. Mika's desk. Recently let go after failing to be promoted..." Chief muses. She raises an eyebrow. "Interesting."

Pilha pulls up the external CCTV, scanning back for the hours after the attack. And bam! She finds it after a short while. An employee is seen exiting the building, and on the edge of the CCTV's view, throwing something in a public bin. Pilha pulls up the door access logs. "Biza Haturi, ring a bell?" She asks the Chief.

"Yes," says the Chief.

"Personnel. Resigned to spend more time looking after her sick mom."