Chapter 109: The Attack

Michael rose abruptly from his seat, his expression shifting from calm to concern in an instant.

"What's the problem?" he demanded.

The employee, visibly shaken, struggled to maintain composure under Michael's intense gaze. "It's our network, sir," he stammered. "We're under attack. It appears to be a sophisticated hacking attempt. Our security systems detected unusual activity approximately fifteen minutes ago.

The intrusion detection system flagged multiple unauthorized access attempts, and it seems they've managed to bypass our initial layers of security."

Michael's mind raced as he processed the information. "Show me the way to the IT department," he commanded, leaving Juliet alone in his office, visibly shocked and confused.

The employee quickly led the way, and they hurried through the corridors of the SolaraTech Corporation office toward the IT department. As they entered the room filled with servers and computer screens, the IT team was already in a state of heightened activity, their focus entirely on countering the cyber attack.

Michael approached the lead IT specialist, who was monitoring the situation on multiple screens.

"Give me a status update," Michael asked, trying to keep his voice steady despite the growing concern.

The IT specialist turned to him, "The attackers have partially breached our firewall. They're attempting to access our proprietary technology files. We've initiated a lockdown of our critical systems and are currently working to trace the source of the attack."

Michael nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. "Do we have any idea who's behind this?"

"Not yet," the specialist replied. "But the sophistication of the attack suggests it's not just amateur hackers. We're dealing with professionals, possibly corporate espionage."

"Shit...so they are already making their moves huh?" Michael mused, a mix of frustration and determination in his voice. He rolled up his sleeves, signaling he was ready to dive into the technical fray alongside his team. "Let me see the system logs and the firewall configurations. I might be able to pinpoint their entry method."

The IT specialist looked confused for a moment, unsure if Michael truly understood the technical depth of the situation. "Sir, with all due respect, do you have experience with this kind of thing?"

Michael met his gaze with a confident smile. "I might run the company, but I started in the trenches just like you. Let's just say, I'm not unfamiliar with the backend of a computer system. What's the attack vector they're using?"

The team looked at each other, a mix of admiration and disbelief in their eyes. None of them had considered a rootkit; these were notoriously hard to detect and even harder to remove.

"How do you suggest we deal with it?" asked the IT specialist, now fully engaged and ready to follow Michael's lead.

Michael, fueled by the newly acquired knowledge from the system, quickly outlined a plan. "First, we isolate the network segments where the rootkit has spread. We can't let it communicate back to its controllers. Then, we'll use a specialized rootkit removal tool. I'll guide you through creating a custom script based on the knowledge I've just acquired.

It's designed to specifically target and eliminate this type of rootkit."

The IT team set to work, following Michael's instructions. They segmented the network, cutting off potential pathways for the rootkit to spread or communicate. Meanwhile, Michael began coding the custom script on a secure terminal. His fingers flew over the keyboard, translating his advanced understanding into a tangible solution.

After hours of intense work, the script was ready. Michael initiated it, watching closely as lines of code scrolled across the screen, searching for and targeting the rootkit's signatures. The tension in the room was palpable as everyone waited for the results.

Minutes passed like hours until finally, the screen displayed the message they had all been hoping for: [Rootkit Removal Successful].

A collective sigh of relief filled the room, followed by a round of applause. The team had managed to overcome one of the most challenging hurdles in cybersecurity, all thanks to Michael's unexpected expertise and the mysterious system's assistance.

Michael allowed himself a small smile, satisfied with the outcome. But the work is not done, they have to know who did this.

With the immediate threat neutralized, Michael turned his attention to tracing the origins of the attack. "Now, let's find out who's responsible for this," he said, a determined look in his eyes.

The IT team, energized by their recent success, rallied around Michael as they began the process of tracing the attack back to its source. Michael directed them to analyze the network logs, looking for patterns or anomalies that could indicate the hackers' point of origin.

Using the advanced network forensic tools at their disposal, they sifted through gigabytes of data, searching for the digital breadcrumbs left behind by the attackers. Michael, with his deep understanding of network systems, guided the team through the process, identifying key indicators that pointed them in the right direction.

After several hours of painstaking analysis, they began to see a pattern emerge. The attacks were being routed through multiple proxy servers, a common tactic used by hackers to hide their true location. However, the team was able to identify a mistake made by the attackers - a brief moment when their real IP address was exposed.

With this crucial piece of information, Michael and his team were able to trace the IP address back to its source. The digital trail led them to Beijing, China.