Zero Day

FOREWORD

Mark Russinovich is recognized by many as the world’s leading expert on the Windows operating system. His tools are used worldwide by corporations and government agencies not only to keep their IT systems running, but to perform advanced forensics.

In this book, Mark has woven a compelling tale about an imminent threat to every person, household, corporation, and government that relies on technology and the systems that we depend on. While what Mark wrote is fiction, the risks that he writes about eerily mirror many situations that we see today. Clearly, we are more and more dependent than ever on Internet-connected computer systems: it is the way we communicate, do our banking, pay our taxes, book our travel, and buy merchandise. We take for granted that these systems will always be there and are set to protect our privacy and are secure. The strength of the Internet and Internet technologies is that we are so connected. However, this strength is also a weakness — these systems are vulnerable to attack from anywhere by anyone, and with little capital investment. The Internet also facilitates maintaining anonymity, on which many of us depend, but often creates a fertile ground for bad actors. As Mark’s story unfolds, we see the hacker creating superviruses hiding behind many layers of virtual disguises, which make fixing the problem even more complicated and dangerous.

For too many years, we have heard cyber-security experts saying that we need to have more security, we need to use antivirus, we need to use anti-spyware, back up our systems, use firewalls, and be vigilant about what documents we open, links we click on, and programs we execute. These and other technologies help protect a system or small network, but do not necessarily protect the overall environment that weaves through the very fabric of the Internet, touching all of us. Mark has created a unique work that is not only entertaining but a call to action as well. This is a great read and a forward-looking picture of what we need to avoid.

I hope stories such as Zero Day remain just that — great reads that will hopefully never come true.

PROFESSOR HOWARD A. SCHMIDT

PRESIDENT AND CEO, INFORMATION SECURITY FORUM LTD.

WHITE HOUSE CYBER SECURITY COORDINATOR