John Doe eats his frogs.
John Doe eats his frogs.
The Hacker Chronicles
Presented by Tenable. Learn more at Tenable.com/Alice
Vote for The Hacker Chronicles in the 2nd Annual Signal Listener's Choice Award.
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Credits:
Starring Michael C. Hall as John Doe
And Chloe Taylor as Alice
Executive Produced by Michael C. Hall, Jerome Robert, Skyler Schmanski and Ian Faison
Directed by Rex New
Written for Audio by Rex New, Jerome Robert, & Skyler Schmanski
Story based on the Novella The Hacker Chronicles created by Jerome Robert and written by Skyler Schmanski
With:
Zachary Lavar Hoffman as Karl
Alex McTavish as Lindsey
Erik Ransom as Niels
Paul Coltofeanu as Andrei Novikov
Douglas Thornton as the Newscaster
Hans Wackerhauser as the Host of the Welcome to Wakefield Podcast
Skyler Schmanski as the Host of the Tenable Research Podcast
Bradley Glanzrock and Taylor Brim as the podcast guests
Sound Design by Dan Scott, Zack Dingman and Ben Potts.
Sound Mixing by Dan Scott
Associate Producer: Mark Wolf Roberts
Dialogue Editing by Nick Canepa and Scott Goodrich
Production Support by SJ Nichols, Bradley Glanzrock, Jon Libbey and Dani Godard.
Marketing Support from Dino Pasalic, Kyle Rusca, Dylan Langlois and Rockable
Alice (00:03):
Before I was Abel10, cyber criminal, I was a barista on the verge of self-destruction, saddled with student debt, self-esteem in the toilet. To make a long sob. Story short, I saw no way out. Then I discovered hacking. I thought it would solve all my problems, but it turns out launching one of the largest cyber attacks in US history comes with consequences. Who knew between jail and a job? For the man who caught me, I chose life behind a computer. But now I owned that man's data. I had everything. His name, address, bank accounts, his family, his habits, his vices, his passwords, everything. And in this day and age, when you own someone's data, you own them. I still had to answer one question though. Why? Why did Dmitri want to take down Andre Novikov? Whatever the reason, it wasn't for another quick buck. Maybe Andre was to Dmitri what I was to John Doe. And if I could get ahead of it all ahead of Dmitri, maybe I could use it to get out. The data jigsaw I had collected was a start, but my ace was the malware I'd installed on Dmitri's computer. I had ears in his office 24 7. All thanks to the built-in microphone on his computer monitor. You're always the most vulnerable where you're the most comfortable.
Siri (02:18):
Recording Dimitri's office. Wednesday, February 15th, 8:03 AM
Dimitri (02:46):
Ribit. Play Data Dudes podcast. I really don't think that Data Lake is worth it. Play Tenable research podcast.
Research Podcast Guest (02:57):
Look who knows where the next log shell is even coming from. For all we know, someone could be selling it right now as a zero day vulnerability to some very bad actors….
Research Podcast Guest 2 (03:06):
Like Electronica. They've been in the news a lot lately.
Research Podcast Guest (03:09):
Yeah, exactly. They've shown themselves to be capable of some pretty incredible stuff when you think about it. There was the ransomware attack on the Indian factory that caused massive problems for pick a company. They were affected. And don't forget, a few years ago, they were responsible for the theft of hundreds of thousands of credit card numbers in the US and Canada…
Dimitri (03:30):
Play Welcome to Wakefield podcast.
Wakefield Podcast Host (03:33):
Today on the welcome to Wakefield podcast, we are speaking with Wakefield city owner, Andre Novikov, for an inspiring conversation about his business journey and what it was like to ties with his home country of Russia.
Andrei (03:47):
It was difficult to leave home and I will never see it again, but I could not bear the thought of doing business in a place whose values I disagree with. That is more important than an easy dollar. That's even more important than a Premier League championship. Though perhaps I shouldn't say that on the Wakefield City podcast,
Dimitri (04:11):
You're a fraud.
Wakefield Podcast Host (04:13):
We will also discuss his own rise from a lower class family to one of the world's wealthiest men.
Andrei (04:19):
I was a teenager in post-Soviet Russia. It was like the wild West. Everywhere you looked, people were making money and losing money, backstabbing each other and groveling for anything and everything they could often they had connections to the former party and that made it even harder to do what I did to make it on my own.
Dimitri (04:44):
You didn't make it on your own. Come in.
Lindsey (04:53):
Just wanted to come in and give you a kiss and to let you know I got that stain out of that awful shirt.
Dimitri (05:01):
I'm so lucky.
Lindsey (05:03):
Speaking of lucky, are you still making dinner tonight?
Dimitri (05:07):
Yes. Well, Niels asked me if he could cook. He fancies himself as chef now.
Lindsey (05:13):
Lucky me.
Dimitri (05:15):
I think where you can tell you're off to work. You sure you don't want to stay and play bubble bubble?
Lindsey (05:22):
I think he just said we are having sat. See you tonight, honey. I love you.
Dimitri (05:29):
I love you too. Okay, what's going on?
Newscaster (05:42):
In March, 2021, the Suez Canal was blocked for six days by the container ship the ever given, which ran aground in the canal after severe weather. Today, the canal is once again blocked this time by the H C V Orca, a 400 meter container ship. The ship's owner, the Marquez Maritime Corporation, has stated it does not know the cause, whether in the canal has been mild and sources say the boat has experienced no mechanical issues over the last six months. Officials from the Suez Canal authority are cautiously optimistic. They can dislodge the H C V orca within the day, but until operations begin,
Dimitri (06:18):
This can't be a coincidence. Bri, this is a terrible time to ask to go outside. Okay, just in the backyard
Siri (06:34):
Recording Dimitri's office. Wednesday, February 15th, 8:22 AM
Dimitri (06:54):
Stop. I've known you long enough to know that you have a lot more trouble being dishonest in English than you do in Russian, so please stop screaming in the mother tongue. Now, tell me what they are telling you.
Karl (07:07):
They're saying there are no mechanical issues on the boat.
Dimitri (07:10):
Yes, I saw that on the news.
Karl (07:13):
I also spoke to my contact about the cargo.
Dimitri (07:17):
And…
Karl (07:18):
I don't think your theory about electronic smuggling is accurate.
Dimitri (07:21):
How do you not know about an operating system upgrade. But you know that
Karl (07:25):
Because I got promoted, which was the entire reason we could do any of this in the first place.
Dimitri (07:30):
Yes, I remember you became the big boss and now you know less God. I already work with one comedian. I don't need another.
Karl (07:38):
Do you really think it has to do with our operation? I thought it didn't work.
Dimitri (07:42):
It would be one hell of a coincidence if it didn't. Apparently this system upgrade didn't completely inhibit our hack. It just made the actual timing of it completely random. I bet that whenever a dive team goes down to inspect the boat's engines, they'll discover the rudder is misaligned by 15.3 degrees and they'll have no idea why.
Karl (08:02):
Man, I'm really getting nervous. It won't be long before they're checking logs and c cttv.
Dimitri (08:08):
Karl, don't freak out on me.
Karl (08:09):
That is easy for you to say.
Dimitri (08:11):
It's because I'm a professional and I know what I'm talking about. Just think it through logically, Karl. Okay. First, they're not going to realize it was a hack to begin with. This has never been done before. No one's even seen something like this. They're more likely to come to the conclusion that this rudder misalignment was an unknown mechanical problem. Worst case scenario, it's a bug in their software. And second, you wore a hat and sunglasses. You used a different key card to access every door you walk through. Take it from a professional. That really is enough. Karl, we're safe and I have more important camels to swallow right now.
Karl (09:01):
I don't think I can keep it together.
Dimitri (09:03):
Come on now. I thought you were with a big boss. I have to go. Bye Karl. Hello Alice.
Alice (09:16):
Ooh, you could say that slightly less like Anthony Hopkins, especially on a day like today.
Dimitri (09:22):
Yeah, I'm working on it now. Tell me where are you at with your investigation with Andrei? Get me up to speed.
Alice (09:28):
Can we just talk about the real problem now? Like the boat that we hacked that's coincidentally stuck in the Suez Canal.
Dimitri (09:35):
No, you hacked.
Alice (09:36):
Oh, is this one of those weird things like in movies where you pretend like we never talked?
Dimitri (09:40):
I was giving you credit.
Alice (09:41):
Wow. A compliment. First time for everything.
Dimitri (09:46):
I want you to review the software and documentation for that navigational system. Again, I just spoke with Carl and he's about to have a full on meltdown. So let's see if there's any reason, however improbable for the Marquez Maritime Corporation to conclude that this was a hack. Get imaginative and we can reassure Carl and as a bonus, you'll feel better too.
Alice (10:06):
Okay, fine. What are you going to be doing? Sipping wine on your patio while I do all your dirty work
Dimitri (10:15):
For you? Looks like our hack went through after all just a month late. I know, I know. I hate seeing Carl panic like that. It always rubs off on me. But onto the next crisis,
Karl (10:30):
Dimitri…
Siri (10:34):
Recording Dmitri's office. Wednesday, February 15th, 1:43 PM
Dimitri (10:43):
Sit at the table and since you're in trouble, we'll speak in English only. Your grades in that class have not been up to par.
Niels (10:50):
I'm not doing my work in here.
Dimitri (10:52):
You've been suspended from school for three days. You are going to do exactly what I say.
Niels (10:57):
This is bullshit.
Dimitri (10:58):
It's kind of bullshit that I had to pick you up. I'm incredibly busy.
Niels (11:01):
Oh, I thought you just played video games all day.
Dimitri (11:05):
You were lucky you weren't expelled.
Niels (11:06):
He hit me first.
Dimitri (11:08):
We can talk about it later. I don't have time for this.
Niels (11:11):
Hey, Riu. Come here. Boy.
Dimitri (11:15):
You defend yourself on the football pitch, didn't you?
Niels (11:17):
No. Come here. What are you doing?
Dimitri (11:18):
Riu sits with me. Whenever you pull cheap shots on the pitch. You don't get to cuddle with Riu.
Alice (11:28):
Recording Dmitri's office Wednesday, February 15th, 1:58 PM
Dimitri (11:37):
You're not doing any work.
Niels (11:39):
Don't feel like it
Dimitri (11:40):
And eat your frogs.
Niels (11:42):
Is that like you're swallowing the camel thing?
Dimitri (11:45):
It means that you begin the day with the task that is least desirable and when you're finished, you can do the things you want to do.
Niels (11:52):
So that's why you go ribit when you start doing things in the morning.
Dimitri (11:56):
Yes. And any hard task truthfully, it's a reminder that pain is temporary.
Niels (12:03):
This is making me want to go vegetarian.
Dimitri (12:05):
Yeah, fine. More sate for me. I'm going to put on some white noise. Helps me focus. Maybe it'll help you too.
Andrei (12:14):
So my first business was a small computer repair shop.
Dimitri (12:19):
You got to be kidding me.
Andrei (12:20):
As the country opened up, I began to tinker with the new pieces of hardware we would get from the West. We did simple things setting up of his computers, servicing printers. You name it, we did it sounds easy, but there was a glut of this knowledge. It helped me make my first fortune and I'll be forever grateful. What
Dimitri (12:43):
Is wrong with this stupid
Andrei (12:45):
Mouse?
Niels (12:46):
Maybe you should have eaten the mouse instead.
Dimitri (12:49):
Come on.
Wakefield Podcast Host (12:51):
I understand you'll be making a very exciting announcement this week as well. Can you tell our fans more about that?
Andrei (12:57):
Yes. In just a few days, I will be speaking to our Wakefield City community about a very exciting new initiative. As you know, I spent years looking for a home after I left Russia and I finally found that in Wakefield. I recognize that it's time for me as owner of this club to truly invite the community in.
Wakefield Podcast Host (13:24):
Oh, I have to say I am so excited. It is a great time to be a Wakefield City supporter right now.
Niels (13:31):
Why are you listening to a show about Wakefield City? They suck.
Dimitri (13:35):
No talking for the rest of the day. I need to review some code
Siri (13:44):
Recording Dmitri's office. Wednesday, February 15th, 7:22 PM
Lindsey (13:54):
Knock knock.
Dimitri (13:55):
Oh hi, honey.
Lindsey (14:00):
You said you were going to cook. You have no excuses unless you have a son who got suspended for three days from school
Dimitri (14:07):
All while I'm in the middle of a massive professional emergency.
Lindsey (14:11):
An emergency?
Dimitri (14:12):
Just some operating system getting upgraded when they weren't supposed to.
Lindsey (14:16):
Blah, blah, blah.
Dimitri (14:18):
Blah, blah, blah.
Lindsey (14:20):
Has Niels said much?
Dimitri (14:21):
Nope. He's sulking.
Lindsey (14:23):
Sounds like someone I know.
Dimitri (14:27):
Guilty is charged.
Lindsey (14:28):
I'm going to give him some space tonight, but maybe you can talk to him tomorrow. Yes. Oh, and also can you get back to that real estate agent about the house in Panang? I'm tired of these winters. I'm ready for a Malaysian winter
Dimitri (14:42):
On my list for tomorrow.
Lindsey (14:44):
And don't give me any crap about an operating system upgrade.
Dimitri (14:47):
Never. I am so lucky.
Alice (14:57):
Recording Dimitri's office Thursday, February 16th, 8:06 AM
Dimitri (15:13):
It's too early for this. Ribbit.
Alice (15:23):
Ahoy! Get it? Nautical humor. Just keeping things light. Fine. Okay, I get it. We're about to have a serious conversation. Okay.
Dimitri (15:34):
Have you finished going through the software and documentation?
Alice (15:37):
Yes, I figured it out. The upgrade was meant to fix some issues that occurred when newer Gps systems were attached to the old control center. Basically the format they used for time and timestamps was outdated. So the software was upgraded to use the ISO International Times Standard.
Dimitri (15:54):
So the old timestamps you used in the hack didn't align with the new software?
Alice (15:59):
Exactly. The hack was triggered completely randomly when the old date format matched the current date, which happened yesterday. But it could have also happened a million years from now.
Dimitri (16:11):
How could you have missed this?
Alice (16:12):
What? No, you didn't for the record. Neither of us noticed this in our months of preparation.
Dimitri (16:19):
What about the malware self-destruct function?
Alice (16:22):
Yeah. I reproduced the time format mismatch in my test environment and the big red button works just fine after it triggered the attack, which means we can be very confident saying that our malware deleted itself just after it injected its code into the HCV Orca. It's going to be nearly impossible for investigators to figure out this was a hack. I mean, they'd have to be looking for it in the first place. And even then, Hey, have you talked to Karl?
Dimitri (16:48):
Why?
Alice (16:49):
I was wondering if he would give us access to Marquez's internal.
Dimitri (16:53):
Nils, come in.
Niels (16:58):
Hey, how many frogs have you eaten this morning?
Dimitri (17:01):
I have two frogs today. I just finished my first, I had to call a coworker who thinks she's smarter and funnier than she actually is. What are your frogs today?
Niels (17:12):
Calculus.
Dimitri (17:13):
You have at least one more. What happened at school yesterday? Why'd you get into a fight on the football pitch? Nils, I want you to be honest with me. This is your frog. It's slimy. It's gross. It smells terrible, but it is yours right now.
Niels (17:35):
Retaliation. Earlier in the game, I had a clear path to the goal and I just received a pass. I flicked it with my left foot and then Ingmar did a dirty tackle on me. No one saw it. He kept messing with me all game, trying to take out ankles. Finally, I had enough. I grabbed his ankle, pulled him to the ground and started punching him. I know I shouldn't have done it, but he deserved it.
Dimitri (18:01):
And what happened next?
Niels (18:03):
I got sent to the principal's office, but as I was walking off the field, I saw Inma just laughing. You don't believe me.
Dimitri (18:13):
No, I do. I'm thinking
Niels (18:16):
About what?
Dimitri (18:17):
I'm thinking about what you did wrong.
Niels (18:19):
Because I hitting my back.
Dimitri (18:21):
No, because you had a dumb plan. I'm going to tell you a story. Is that okay with you or do you have any sass? You need to get out first.
Niels (18:30):
I don't think I have a choice.
Dimitri (18:33):
I was born in Russia and came here in my twenties, as you know.
Niels (18:37):
And you lost your accent so people wouldn't judge you. I've heard it before.
Dimitri (18:41):
Yeah. I've never told you the entire story, but I think you should know now. I was a little bit older than you. When the internet came to Russia, it was such an exciting time. The Soviet Union had collapsed and here was the whole world itself coming to us through a dial-up internet connection. I desperately wanted to be a part of it, and I fell in love with it at first sight. So I started a computer business with one of my oldest friends. We were very close best friends since we were five years old, running around the football pitch. And pretty soon we were running around St. Petersburg growing our business. We provided companies with hardware and software and advised them on how to harness the value of this miracle called the internet.
(19:37):
And over time we grew apart. I was the tech guy and he took care of the paperwork and all the government nonsense we had to navigate. We had thought a new Russia would change things, but instead it was the same old corruption and nepotism by a different name. So believe me, we wouldn't have gotten very far without his connections. And after a few years I had this idea for a new branch of our business. I thought it was a revolutionary ahead of its time. The more I thought about it, the more I wanted to reshape everything we did around it. But I knew I could not do this alone. The success of this business would depend on my friends' connections in Russia, who you know is everything. And he knew so many more people than me. When I explained my plan, our future business to my friend, he listened very closely. I thought I was blowing him away. And then he said no. He gave no explanation, just no. And we had a very heated exchange. He mocked me. He said I wasn't capable enough. His words stung me right to my core. And all I wanted to do was hurt him. Punch him, tear him apart.
Niels (21:03):
But, you didn't.
Dimitri (21:05):
No, I did. I punched him like you. I was stupid enough to think that was the right way to retaliate, but it wasn't. And after a few days that was that. It was like nothing ever happened. We were back to business as usual. Within a few months later, everything changed because unknown to me. My friend had been planning his retaliation the entire time. He stole my idea and launched this new business behind my back. Remember, he was the one with the government contacts. He used those to land a few juicy contracts. And it was exactly as I had envisioned, huge potential if you knew the right people. When I discovered what he had done, I confronted him and I told him he had to hand me 50% of that new business. It's pathetic. I had no plan. I just wanted the confrontation to get that anger out. Once again, my second mistake, when I got home later that day, there were a few men waiting at my house. Big Russian mobster guys. They look exactly like they do in the movies. And they threatened me, told me I no longer had a share in my computer business, that I was a dead man walking.
Niels (22:31):
What did you do?
Dimitri (22:35):
I did the only thing I could do. I appeared. I came here. I met your godfather, Karl, on the train actually. And your mother Two years later. Did
Niels (22:45):
He ever pay you back?
Dimitri (22:48):
Nope. But it all taught me a lesson. Lead with your head, not your heart. You need to learn that lesson too. So the next time you won't be eating frogs in my office while Ingmar is at school honing his skills on the pitch. You understand what I'm saying?
Niels (23:08):
Yes. Yes, I do.
Dimitri (23:11):
Good. Now go get me some more coffee. I have some digital spring cleaning to do. I'm going to need it.
What? Is this, Alice? Call me as soon as you can. I've been compromised.
Credits (23:58):
The Hacker Chronicles, presented by Tenable. Learn more at tenable.com/alice. Starring Michael C. Hall as John Doe and Chloe Taylor as Alice Executive, produced by Michael C. Hall, Jerome, Robert Skylar Semanski and Ian Faison, directed by Rex New, written for audio by Rex New Jerome, Robert and Skyler Semanski. Story based on the novella, the Hacker Chronicles, created by Jerome Robert and written by Skylar Shi Mansky with Zachary LeVar Hoffman as Carl Alex McTavish as Lindsay Eric Ransom as Nils Paul. Ano as Andre Novakoff Douglas Thornton as the newscaster, Hans Walker Hauser as the host of the Welcome to Wakefield podcast. Skylar Sch Mansky is the host of the Tenable Research podcast, Bradley Glens Rock and Taylor Brimm as the podcast guest. The Hacker Chronicles is produced by Caspian Studios, produced by Taylor Brim and Rex New, produced by Dane Ackerley. Supervising creative producer is Landon Pontius. Sound, designed by Dan Scott, Zach Dingman and Ben Potts. Sound mixing by Dan Scott. The associate producer is Mark Wolf Roberts dialogue, editing by Nick Cana and Scott Goodrich. Production support by SJ Nichols, Bradley Glands Rock, John Libby and Danny Goddard. Marketing support from Dino Pai, Kyle Ruka, Dylan Langley and Rockville. Additional production support provided by Echo Mountain Studios. Learn more at tenable.com/alice.