The Enigma Gamers - A CATS Tale

Quip thoughtfully looked at Julie and recognized her sincerity as he asked, “Jesse James syndrome? What are you talking about? You mean a bunch of ex-Confederate soldiers running around with flour sacks tied around their heads to mask their identity as they robbed banks and trains at gunpoint? How 19th century you are in describing your new cyber adversaries, Julie!

“Let me remind you how bandits rob in the 21st century,” he smirked. “People, like Charles Yukon, put together a bunch of like-minded corporate raiders with lots of money, buy up enough stock to get noticed, and send an open but threatening letter to the company’s directors warning them that he needs a better rate of return. Then he asks what they’re going to do about it. It used to be called greenmail, but now the politically correct euphemism is Activism. The demands are the same: pay me and my consortium to go away and we’ll leave you alone. However unsavory the activity is, it is still within the confines of the law.”

Julie stilled her facial features, clucked her tongue in annoyance with Quip’s condescending tone and comments while on mute, but then responded, “Yes, we are all familiar with the corporate raider phrase here comes Yukon, now the company’s gone! That is not the situation I am tracking and considering as a possible pattern. Basically, the computer systems are hacked, ransom demands made. At this point, there are not overwhelming instances, but enough that I wanted it on the record.

“This is clearly not within the legal boundaries of a publicly traded corporation. So, yes, this is very much like what the Jesse James gang did in the late 1800’s.”

Julie then put on her most dazzling, megawatt smile and added, “And, Quip, if you ever use that condescending tone with me again, I swear I will launch my own raid against your data center and thoroughly trash the Feng Shui layout of your facility! I mean cable ties removed, power and data cables that are too long draped everywhere, blade servers sticking too far out of the racks, key grouping of servers pulled out and randomly sprinkled throughout the data center in different racks and in different directions, some being upside down! Got it?”

Quip was noticeably shaken by the vile threat of ruining the Feng Shui of his data center. It took all of his intestinal fortitude as he cajoled, “Uh, Julie, there is no need to threaten such devastation and chaos against my data center for my inappropriate comment. My high spirited comment was only offered in jest. Since you find it so offensive, I of course will withdraw it and respectfully apologize.”

Jacob then leaned over and whispered into Petra’s ear. “Boy, does she play dirty! Geezers!”