like this you should ’ave told me at the beginning. No, I mean, why was there a deception at all?”
Oh, that.
“It’s because of what I really do for a living.”
“What are you?” She laughed, although it was full to the brim with spite. “A porn movie director? A traffic warden?” Her expression hardened. “Please tell me you’re not a vivisectionist. I couldn’t bear that.”
He shook his head and, just as he was about to answer, Mel leapt forward, jolting the table in her eagerness, the wine glasses wobbling before settling still. “You’re not embarrassed, are you?”
She placed a hand on his. Was this sympathy? What the hell was going on? Using his free hand, he took a sip of his wine, buying some time.
“Brody,” she smiled at him, “I don’t care if you deliver pizzas for a living.”
Brody choked on his wine. As he coughed and spluttered, she continued.
“I knew it was strange seeing you that time in Joyce’s reception carrying those pizza boxes. I told myself there had to be a simple explanation, and not the one you gave me. It makes sense now.”
Brody regained his composure. He considered giving up and telling her she was right. It would be so much easier, wouldn’t it? Why not continue as they were; just swap one set of lies for another? But, deep down, he knew that was foolhardy.
Slowly, he shook his head. “I wish that was true.”
Mel recoiled back to her side of the table. It was time to drop the final bomb.
“I am an independent IT security consultant.” He almost wanted to add a “Tah-dah!” Noticing her confused expression, he continued soberly, “More commonly known as a computer hacker.”
He allowed the words to sink in.
Suspicion oozed from her voice. “You are a computer hacker?”
“Yes. A white hat, to be specific.”
She nonchalantly splayed her palms in front of her to indicate that his last statement had added no clarification at all. The gesture also indicated how seriously pissed off she was.
“Because of the media, everyone believes computer hackers are evil. And yes, there are many that are. They are called black hats. And then there are those who do what they do to help companies improve their defences. They are called white hats. I am a white hat. Companies pay me to attack them and afterwards I help them fix the holes I discover in their defences, so that they can stop the black hats getting in.”
It was just about as simple as he could make it.
“So why?” Her tone was steely.
He wasn’t falling for that a second time. “Why what?”
“Why did you make up your profile on the dating site? Why not tell the truth if it is as simple as you say?”
“Because of all the negative connotations associated within being a computer hacker. No one would choose to date one. They would feel unsafe, that their identity was going to be stolen or something worse. And then there’s the fact that everyone thinks techies are boring. They think ‘nerd’. They think ‘geek’. They think ‘anorak’. Who’s going to want to date someone like that?”
“And the rest of your description? Why not have some truth in it?”
Mel had a point.
As a social engineer, he had become so used to lying about himself that he had never given it a second thought. Also, there was the fact that, under his online persona as Fingal, he was on the wanted list of some of some of the world’s most nefarious cyber-gangs, many of which were backed by the Russian mafia. They would exact a terrible revenge if they somehow tracked Fingal down in the real world. Not only would Brody be at risk, but so would those close to him.
But Brody had already upset Mel enough. He didn’t want add salt to her wounds.
Instead, he played his trump card, hoping it would be enough.
“It is because I am a hacker that I was able to get hold of this,” he pointed to the USB stick laying on the table. “I hacked into HTL and obtained this footage. Footage you and your friends can put
Oh, that.
“It’s because of what I really do for a living.”
“What are you?” She laughed, although it was full to the brim with spite. “A porn movie director? A traffic warden?” Her expression hardened. “Please tell me you’re not a vivisectionist. I couldn’t bear that.”
He shook his head and, just as he was about to answer, Mel leapt forward, jolting the table in her eagerness, the wine glasses wobbling before settling still. “You’re not embarrassed, are you?”
She placed a hand on his. Was this sympathy? What the hell was going on? Using his free hand, he took a sip of his wine, buying some time.
“Brody,” she smiled at him, “I don’t care if you deliver pizzas for a living.”
Brody choked on his wine. As he coughed and spluttered, she continued.
“I knew it was strange seeing you that time in Joyce’s reception carrying those pizza boxes. I told myself there had to be a simple explanation, and not the one you gave me. It makes sense now.”
Brody regained his composure. He considered giving up and telling her she was right. It would be so much easier, wouldn’t it? Why not continue as they were; just swap one set of lies for another? But, deep down, he knew that was foolhardy.
Slowly, he shook his head. “I wish that was true.”
Mel recoiled back to her side of the table. It was time to drop the final bomb.
“I am an independent IT security consultant.” He almost wanted to add a “Tah-dah!” Noticing her confused expression, he continued soberly, “More commonly known as a computer hacker.”
He allowed the words to sink in.
Suspicion oozed from her voice. “You are a computer hacker?”
“Yes. A white hat, to be specific.”
She nonchalantly splayed her palms in front of her to indicate that his last statement had added no clarification at all. The gesture also indicated how seriously pissed off she was.
“Because of the media, everyone believes computer hackers are evil. And yes, there are many that are. They are called black hats. And then there are those who do what they do to help companies improve their defences. They are called white hats. I am a white hat. Companies pay me to attack them and afterwards I help them fix the holes I discover in their defences, so that they can stop the black hats getting in.”
It was just about as simple as he could make it.
“So why?” Her tone was steely.
He wasn’t falling for that a second time. “Why what?”
“Why did you make up your profile on the dating site? Why not tell the truth if it is as simple as you say?”
“Because of all the negative connotations associated within being a computer hacker. No one would choose to date one. They would feel unsafe, that their identity was going to be stolen or something worse. And then there’s the fact that everyone thinks techies are boring. They think ‘nerd’. They think ‘geek’. They think ‘anorak’. Who’s going to want to date someone like that?”
“And the rest of your description? Why not have some truth in it?”
Mel had a point.
As a social engineer, he had become so used to lying about himself that he had never given it a second thought. Also, there was the fact that, under his online persona as Fingal, he was on the wanted list of some of some of the world’s most nefarious cyber-gangs, many of which were backed by the Russian mafia. They would exact a terrible revenge if they somehow tracked Fingal down in the real world. Not only would Brody be at risk, but so would those close to him.
But Brody had already upset Mel enough. He didn’t want add salt to her wounds.
Instead, he played his trump card, hoping it would be enough.
“It is because I am a hacker that I was able to get hold of this,” he pointed to the USB stick laying on the table. “I hacked into HTL and obtained this footage. Footage you and your friends can put
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