[Chapter 766: A Bug]
"It's not a computer virus or a hacker attack; their system just crashed. Our Oracle system is fine. And this is just the beginning. As we approach the new millennium, all computer systems will experience major problems, and we have a complete solution," Larry Ellison, the CEO of Oracle, spoke confidently to the television cameras, not only outlining how his competitors' systems had fallen apart but also promoting his own new product.
"Damn, it looks like there really is an issue."
"Yeah, sir. Our IT engineers tested it, and the computers are unresponsive. Those automated billing systems will generate baffling invoices. If we didn't have time on our side, sir, this would be unimaginable. Securities, banks,... Sir, this could turn into a global disaster."
Andy's voice trembled as he spoke, beads of sweat dotted his forehead. Although they still had time, man, if nobody discovered it beforehand...
"Andy, if what you say is true, then our servers are in big trouble too."
"Yes, sir. All calculations will revert back to their original state. Our accountants might need to learn how to use an abacus."
"Wow, so you mean the whole Citigroup situation was really just a coincidence? That can't be right."
...
It wasn't just Morgan Stanley stuck in confusion. Alan Greenspan was also feeling the pressure. What a mess this was. If the U.S. banking system crashed, it would be a major catastrophe.
"Have we tested it?"
"Mr. Greenspan, we tested the White Bank system, and they had no problems at all. Um, well, they updated their system six months ago. As for the firewall, they refused. Our IT staff think it doesn't even compare with our system; it's really from another era."
"Of course it's from another era. Now look, that Oracle might just skyrocket."
"Yes, when we got there, we ran into folks from Merrill Lynch and Bear Stearns. The civilian side isn't too bad, but those military-grade computers are in serious trouble. NASA has also issued warnings; manned spaceflights have been put on hold."
...
The Y2K bug conversations were mostly limited to the higher-ups. The general public didn't pay much attention. Besides, they didn't care about what the television was saying.
The prevalence of computers was actually quite limited. As for whether they'd get outrageous bills, that wasn't really a concern. Worst case scenario, they could just not pay; surely, they'd figure it out eventually.
Of course, Oracle's stock soared 13.5% instantly; that was a given. They proposed the issue first and provided a solution. This company had some serious technological power.
If William White was considered a bastard, then Larry Ellison -- dubbed the Silicon Valley madman -- had even worse people skills.
His catchphrase was, "Don't say that; what you're saying is wrong. Forget what you just said. Now, listen carefully to me."
"Larry, is it really as exaggerated as you say?"
"Steve, you can't even begin to imagine. The first time I encountered this mess, I almost wet myself. Banks crashing, telecom networks down, power grids failing, nuclear plants out of control. Good Lord, this was straight out of the Terminator."
Some said that birds of a feather flock together, and there was truth to that. Steve Jobs, despite his notorious temper, actually had a decent relationship with Larry Ellison. The two were seen as quite the odd ducks in Silicon Valley.
"So you've been working on this for a while?"
"Of course. If the impact wasn't so great, it would have been better to announce it a few years later. However, my suggestion was shot down; William White thought there was no way to handle so many computers without at least two years' time."
...
In reality, Larry Ellison had overestimated William White's integrity. This so-called Y2K bug would eventually attract attention. Now, using it to scare people was actually the right move.
Plus, with the Citigroup factor, this was just too delicious.
Don't think that trouble would only pop up in 2000. Hacking servers and altering dates would have similar impacts. For banks, this was a pressing issue.
Because of this bug, a whole bunch of bigwigs were on edge. They didn't really know what this computer jargon meant; to them, it was just a typewriter combined with a computer.
"Damn it, who invented this thing? Why is it always 1s and 0s? Do we really need eight digits for viewing?"
Fine, the old timers' questions were ones that even the technicians hesitated to answer. As for those suited Wall Street elites, they could only display confusion.
"Cough, old buddy, that's how semiconductors are. They were made up of transistors, and now it's just different materials. I don't know how it'll change in the future; short-term, there won't be any changes."
"Paul, you mean it has always been like this?"
"Yes. On means 1, off means 0. That's been the case since the invention of computers. You should be thankful that this didn't happen in '99."
Paul Walker stopped there; nobody in the room was an idiot. They were all part of a vested interest group, and what they cared about most was how to maintain stability in this society.
Indeed, the current situation wasn't too bad. Since they had a solution, it was just best to pay for it. As long as it was a problem that money could solve, it usually wasn't a problem at all.
If Oracle could solve it, so could they. The only difference was that their pace would be just a bit slower.
Of course, the White system flaunted some impressive technology too, which was quite astonishing. All signs indicated that those guys had known long before but simply chose not to say anything.
Like William White theorized, the first people to get nervous were the banks. Through this incident, they realized Oracle's software was excellent, and the firewall was solid.
Just look at Citigroup's firewall to see how flimsy it was. The most ridiculous part was that they even attacked the CIA's server.
They could see from this that Citigroup's servers had already been compromised.
Good God, that was terrifying. If the financial system experienced a widespread failure, life would become unbearable.
As for who was behind it? Cough, that topic was just too taboo. If you dared to say anything out of line, those lawyers would make life a living hell for you.
The richest man turned hacker? That wasn't funny at all; even if you went out saying that, you'd need someone to actually believe you.
This world indeed had many hackers who loved causing trouble. They didn't care about breaking as many laws as it took to showcase their skills.
However, their lives had not been easy lately. The FBI was on the lookout, and the consortiums were hunting them down.
In less than a month, those infamous hackers had mostly gone missing. Even if a skilled hacker appeared, they would quickly be scooped up.
The FBI found themselves in a helpless situation as Citigroup was pressing for answers; trying to find a scapegoat was already difficult enough.
They wanted to get to the bottom of this, but those consortiums were even more eager. The old geezers were finally realizing that their most valuable assets were all locked away in those computers.
And for some people, this system was completely unguarded.
Now, it was even better; they used their database, and their firewall had to rely on someone else's. Whether this system was reliable, they certainly needed to test it.
*****
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