Chapter 424 Firewall Vulnerability
Phoenix's face was set in a grim expression as she headed straight for Stellar Creations Design Studio. Her mind was locked on one goal—getting her hands on Emma's jewelry design and humiliating her in the upcoming competition, ideally dragging her from the heights of success into the depths of failure.
The car screeched to a halt in front of Stellar Creations Design Studio.
But before stepping out, Phoenix remembered something crucial.
Without leverage, why would anyone at Stellar Creations Design Studio listen to her?
She pulled out the quantum computing cracker Kieran had given her, a sleek, compact device with a cold metallic sheen. She pressed the start button, and the screen immediately displayed a series of complex codes and a progress bar. The quantum processor inside began to hum softly.
Phoenix took out the user manual Kieran had provided, which detailed various commands and firewall information for different companies.
"Stellar Creations Design Studio uses AES-256 encryption with multiple layers of RSA key protection, right?" Phoenix muttered to herself, her tone dripping with disdain. "Too bad, all of that is useless against quantum computing."
She connected the device to Stellar Creations Design Studio's internal network, infiltrating their system via wireless signal. The device's screen instantly showed the firewall's architecture, a dense web of nodes and encryption layers.
"Start with the outermost RSA keys," Phoenix whispered, her fingers sliding haphazardly over the device, inputting a string of commands she didn't fully understand. The quantum computing cracker began to run, using Shor's algorithm to factorize the RSA keys in a fraction of the time it would normally take. Lines of code flashed on the screen, and the progress bar moved rapidly.
"Done," Phoenix sneered. The screen displayed: [RSA keys deciphered.]
The device continued deeper, using Grover's algorithm to search for weaknesses in the AES-256 encryption. The quantum computer's parallel processing capabilities reduced what would take centuries to mere minutes.
The firewall's vulnerability was found.
Phoenix stared at the blinking red dot on the screen, a smug smile spreading across her face. She followed the manual's instructions, inputting commands to exploit the vulnerability and silently implant a backdoor program.
"Now, Stellar Creations Design Studio's system is like my backyard, ready for me to stroll through anytime," she murmured, her tone brimming with arrogance. "So this is hacking, huh? Piece of cake."
With the task complete, Phoenix put the device back in her bag.
Meanwhile, Kieran was sitting in a dimly lit room, a high-performance computer in front of him. The screen displayed Phoenix's every move. He chuckled softly, muttering to himself, "This foolish woman can't even understand basic commands, yet she thinks she can crack a firewall."
His fingers flew over the keyboard, remotely controlling the device in Phoenix's hands. While Phoenix fumbled with the commands, Kieran had silently taken over the cracking process, using his skills to breach Stellar Creations Design Studio's firewall.
"Alright, mission accomplished," Kieran said, satisfied as the Firewall breached message appeared on his screen. He disconnected the remote link, leaned back in his chair, and smirked.
He thought, 'Let's see what kind of surprise this foolish woman brings next.'
Phoenix stepped out of the car, her 4-inch heels clicking as she strode into the building, exuding an air of dominance as if the entire company was her territory. The receptionist, noticing her hostile demeanor, quickly approached and asked cautiously, "Ma'am, who are you here to see?"
Phoenix shot her a cold glance, her tone dripping with arrogance, "I need to see your design director. Take me to him now! Don't waste my time."
The receptionist, intimidated by her presence, didn't dare ask further questions and promptly led her to the design director's office.
John Martinez, the design director, was sitting at his desk, flipping through files. When Phoenix barged in, he frowned, his tone carrying a hint of displeasure, "Ms. Lewis, what can I do for you?"
Phoenix sneered, walking up to him and tossing a check onto the desk, "Mr. Martinez, I heard Emma commissioned you to design a piece of jewelry. I want that design. This is your payment."
John glanced at the number on the check, a flicker of surprise in his eyes, but he quickly regained his composure. He shook his head firmly, "Sorry, Ms. Lewis, our company has strict confidentiality agreements. We can't disclose a client's design to a third party."
Phoenix scoffed, "Mr. Martinez, are you joking? I'm not some lowly commoner. If you dare refuse me, the consequences will be beyond your control!"
John's expression changed slightly, but his tone remained resolute, "Ms. Lewis, it's our principle. Please understand."
"Principle? Mr. Martinez, why don't you take a look at your company's firewall now."
"What did you do?"
To be honest, John was skeptical of Phoenix.
He had heard of Phoenix's notorious reputation and knew some of her misdeeds. Moreover, he had never heard that Phoenix was skilled in hacking.
"See for yourself," Phoenix smirked.
Someone who might not even be proficient in basic computer operations couldn't possibly breach Stellar Creations Design Studio's advanced firewall.
"See for yourself," Phoenix repeated, her arms crossed, looking confident.
At that moment, the head of Stellar Creations Design Studio's tech department burst in, pale and sweating, "Mr. Martinez, there's a problem! The company's firewall has a severe vulnerability, and the system is being infiltrated. We can't handle it!"
John's face turned darkened as he stood up abruptly, his tone urgent, "What's going on? The firewall was just upgraded. How could this happen?"
The tech department head wiped his sweat, his voice trembling, "The attacker's techniques are highly sophisticated. We can't find the source of the vulnerability. The system is being rapidly penetrated. If we don't stop it, client data might be exposed!"
John's heart sank. He turned to Phoenix, his eyes filled with shock and anger, "Did you do this?"
Phoenix raised her eyebrows smugly, her tone threatening, "Whether I did it or not doesn't matter. What matters is if this gets out, your company's reputation will be ruined. No clients, no investors. How long do you think you can last?"
John suppressed his anger and quickly instructed the tech department head, "Gather everyone in the tech department immediately. Fix the vulnerability and minimize the damage!"
The tech department head nodded and hurried out of the office.
John's forehead was damp with sweat, his fingers gripping the files on his desk. He gritted his teeth, his tone strained, "Ms. Lewis, what do you want?"
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