Trapped in the Fangs of Crypto--The Fictional Levee Exposed by Game Over Zeus and Cryptolocker (June 2014)

Trapped in the Fangs of Crypto--The Fictional Levee Exposed by Game Over Zeus and Cryptolocker (June 2014)

In June 2014, the British crime fighting agency warned of the onslaught of two world-shaking malignancies - "Game Over Zeus" and "Cryptolocker". The former steals online banking information, while the latter holds computer files hostage and demands money. The damage crept into homes and businesses alike, as if invisible bandits were quietly swapping locks and taking assets from doorways.

The sophistication of Game Over Zeus was particularly astounding. Disguised as a fake email, they infiltrated unknowingly and uprooted information. Cryptolocker, on the other hand, seals files in such a way as to freeze their memories and forces their release in exchange for money. The impact has been international, causing economic losses in the hundreds of billions of yen.

These threats went beyond mere "viruses" and shook the very structure of trust in society. Systems and technology alone cannot prevent an enemy that cannot be visualized. How much wealth and security have we drained into invisible culverts? That question may be the deepest loss of all.