01x02 - Episode 2

[bunniefuu]

Where've you been?

Danny sent me home last night.

I'm sorry, I
thought he told you.

OK, no problem.

So, as you know, we've been
asked to recheck the BT malware.

I'd like you to do a strings.

What, just pull all the text?

Yeah. That's right,
and go through it.

You know, passwords, hash types?

See if we missed anything.

Look, if this is my fault
I'm really sorry. I was...

It's fine.

Someone needs to do the strings.
You're here on work experience.

Or do you think you're
too grand to do it?

No, of course not.

Good. Well, off you go then.

Options for an
Offensive Cyber response.

With respect, Prime Minister,
can I say that GCHQ opposes

the use of OC in a
situation of this kind?

Why?

Because of the law
of unintended consequences.

We close down part of
Russia's electricity grid

but it turns out it also
supplies a hospital.

They broadcast pictures
of patients dying and...

Offensive Cyber is an
attack on a country,

just like in any other
domain of conflict.

And it's very, very dangerous as...
With respect, we are proving here.

They take out parts
of our infrastructure.

We retaliate, attack
one of their systems.

They hit us again, this
time a more critical target.

We up the stakes another
notch and, before you know it,

we're into a cycle of escalation
and a catastrophic loss of life.

So what do you suggest we do?

Expel more diplomats, like
we did after Novichok?

Look how much good that did.

They're playground bullies.

We need to hit back in a
language they understand.

If we do nothing, they'll just
come back at us harder next time.

Options.

Well, we could turn off
SWIFT to all their banks.

That might be quite appropriate,

given the impact of their
attacks on our cash machines.

No.

OK. Well, we could take
control of Putin's car briefly.

Flash the lights, accelerate and
decelerate, that kind of thing.

- You can do that?
- Oh, yes.

We could also drop his plane


As a demonstration of power,
that might be quite effective.

Though they would almost certainly
target our leadership in response.

No. What else?

I suppose we could fry all
the lines into Glavset.

- Into what?
- Glavset.

It's the source of most of Russia's
Twitter propaganda aimed at the UK.

We could shut it down.

How long would that take?

Er, well, we'd have to
create the exploit first,

so seven, maybe eight days.

Eight days?

OK, do it.

I'm sorry, I've got
to take a break.

Can't keep my eyes open.

OK.

Don't be long.

Can I?

Sure, why not?

You OK?

Just got to wake myself up.

- What is it?
- It's an energy drink.

Oh!

Sweet.

It's a quick hit.
It'll keep you going.

So who is he? The
old man you keep staring at?

Did they show you Jive?

What?

It's kind of an
in-house Facebook.

Well, he writes a blog
for it every week.

Correcting the grammar
in everyone else's posts.

- What?
- Yeah.

- No way.
- I'm not sh1tting you.

That's what he's
doing right now.

Just sitting there
correcting our mistakes.

That is one sad f*ck.

You're that student who found
the second malware, right?

Congratulations.

Not really.

Oh.

I thought that you
were the golden girl?

Yeah, 'were' is right.

Apparently, finding that code
just made everyone else look bad.

So, now we've got to start again and
everyone in my department hates me.

Well, maybe they're
just jealous?

No, really.

What have you found?

Some of this
text is encrypted.

That's OK. They
do that sometimes.

It's probably just a bit of random
text that's got pasted in by mistake.

But shouldn't we
check, to be safe?

Get it decrypted?

Can't. Not without the key.

Surely GCHQ can crack
encryption without a key.

Isn't that what we do here?

It's part of what we do.

So who does that?

The mathematicians. But
you'd be wasting your time.

Why?

Sorry, I just want to
understand, for the future.

Because it would be a huge
commitment of resources.

And they wouldn't
think it was worth it.

Just for this little
bit of encrypted text?

That's right.

OK, thanks for explaining.

No problem.

But if I happened to know a
mathematician, here, in the building,

would you mind if I could
persuade him to take a look?

No, but he won't.
And he'd be right.

It's not a priority. And it's
not what we've asked you to do.

Can I take this chair?

Thank you.

Don't people hate having
their grammar corrected?

Mm.

Doesn't it just make
everyone hate you?

If we wrote code as sloppily as we
write English, it would never run.

"Some things," "somethings"
have to be right.

Is that all you're having?

I'm Muslim.

They don't have anything halal
here. And I don't like vegetables.

I'm looking for a mathematician
friend but he isn't here.

Can you tell me where they
work, the mathematicians?

I'm new here.

I'll show you if you like.

But I warn you, they
won't be very welcoming.

What's funny?

"They won't be very welcoming."

No different to any other
department here then?

No different "from"
any other department.

It's "different
from, compared with."

Have you worked
here a long time?

Here and before.

Before?

Before we were in
this, this doughnut.

Was it very
different "from" now?

It was.

I'd like
to have seen that.

I can show you if you like.

OK.

You wanted to see the mathematicians.
This is it. Cryptology.

By the way, we don't ask
where departments are at GCHQ,

especially Cryptology.

You know, security and all that.

But I won't tell if you don't.

If you do want to see
the old HQ, let me know.

Hello. Erm, sorry
to interrupt.

Is there anyone
here called Gabriel?

What do you want? I'm busy.

Do you really still
use this stuff?

We don't have
whiteboards. Too noisy.

You shouldn't be here.

What is it?

It's encrypted text.
From a malware string.

Encrypted strings pop up all the
time. It doesn't mean anything.

That's what they
told me you'd say.

Come on, Gabriel.

Encrypted text from a piece of
malware we haven't seen before?

It must be worth a look, surely?

Please.

I can't make any promises.

We're busy. We may decide it's
not worth the time and resources.

Are you saying you can't do it?

No. I'm saying it might not be
worth the time and resources.

Thank you.

Whiteboards.

Too noisy as in
too bright, right?

Of course. What
else could it mean?

Oh, Allah.
Forgive Ahmed Parvin.

And elevate his station
amongst those who are guided.

Send him along the path
of those who came before.

And forgive him and
have mercy on him.

And make him steadfast
and harden him.

Be generous to him, and cleanse
him of his transgressions,

as a white cloth
cleansed of stains.

Saara! Saara, no.

Ami. Come.

Bye-bye, Abu.

Hi, we're gonna need
to search your bag.

- Sure.
- Harriet?

Can you help save the planet?

James.

How was it?

Oh, no. Come here.

Don't. Please.

Lunch is served.

OK, anyone saying
thank you? Thank you?

Thank you.
- Thank you.

What's wrong?

Are you allowed to
bring your class here?

Am I allowed?

Am I allowed?

It's the weekend.

I think it's, you know,
think it's good that

they know what's
going on in the world.

Isn't it?

Is this it?

Three words and
some hexadecimal?

Why? Were you expecting more?

No. Er, I don't know.

It's just... You've
done it so quickly.

It was weird.

What?

You've heard of
trapdoor encryption?

Is that what they used?

There was a rope hanging
down, through the trapdoor.

Like it wanted me to climb up it.
Like it wanted to be decrypted.

And?

Eagles summer stages,
that's what it says.

Plus some hexadecimal.

- What does it mean?
- I don't know.

And whatever you're up to, I
don't want to be involved. Ever.

OK, Finn, let it loose.

Well done. Now we wait.

I think the
hexadecimal's a date and time.

I wondered if the words
meant anything to you.

Where did you find this?

Hidden in the malware strings.

I got one of the mathematicians
to decrypt it for me.

Saara, you do know that you shouldn't
be talking to me about this, right?

I'm not cleared for the
things that you're working on.

I know, but I just
need a bit of help.

Sit.

I already did this.

OK.

Have you tried What3words?

So, three apparently random
words can be used to identify

a three-metre square
anywhere on the planet.

Your three words are inside...

Harrogate Conference Centre.

You said that you had a date?

The 28th of April, 9:30 a.m.

Oh, my God.

It's Cyber World.

It's right in the middle of
the Cyber World conference.

That can't be a coincidence.

What does this mean?
I don't understand.

You said that this was
encrypted inside the BT malware?

Yeah.

Well you have a date,
a time and a place.

It looks like someone's
sending us an invitation.

I think it's
one of their coders.

Trying to reach out.

What do Max and Phil
think about this?

I haven't told them.

- I wanted to crack it first...
- Sorry, just to be clear.

You're working in malware

and you haven't told your head
of department what you're doing?

Phil agreed to me
getting it decrypted.

Yes, but you haven't told
them what you've found?

You've gone over
their heads to me?

You're on a work placement!

Apart from anything
else, have you considered

how incredibly disrespectful
that is to Max and Phil?

No, truthfully, I hadn't.

What's your
involvement in this?

Well, you know, we've been
trying to track down the coders

and if this is a message
from one of them...

OK, what do you
suggest we do about it?

- Me?
- Yes, you.

I think someone should
go to Harrogate.

Me, if no one else will.

OK.

- "OK?"
- You can go.

No way!

I want you to go with her, OK?

If it's Cyber World, the
FSB are gonna be there.

It's likely one of their provocations.
It's got all the hallmarks.

And make sure you
update Max and Phil.

She probably thinks
we're on a date.

Or that I'm your carer.

It's back up. Glavset.

Yeah. Afraid so.

So how long did we
manage to take them down for?

About 21 hours.

Unbelievable.

And still no sign of a reprisal?

No, nothing, not even
a polite complaint.

Makes us look a bit
foolish, doesn't it?

All our dire warnings about the
escalatory nature of offensive cyber.

Well, no, maybe they were smarter
than we realised, you know?

Russia's never acknowledged
the existence of Glavset.

How can you complain
about an attack

on an organisation that
doesn't officially exist?

Hmm.

What was this?

Canteen.

And no meat, because
you don't, you know...

Thank you.

Why did you... Why did you choose
to work here in the first place?

Here at GCHQ?

Er, Mum and Dad worked here.

GCHQ's a family business,
always has been.

So, they met here?

Here, no. At Bletchley.

During the w*r. Hut 6.

- Really?
- Mmhmm.

Yes, if it weren't for
GCHQ, I wouldn't exist.

I haven't told my
family where I work.

Really? You can now, I think.

Well, I know but they
wouldn't understand.

Well, my dad did but he died.

You remind me of him.

'Course, back in the day,
we didn't have emails

or bloody iPhones.
We had Lamson tubes.

What's that?

An old network of pneumatic
tubes all over the place.

Did you know, if you
wanted to send a document,

do you know what
you did with it?

You rolled it up.

Put it in a carrier.

It could be anywhere, anywhere in all
these buildings. Two minutes tops.

Marvellous.

Absolute marvellous piece
of engineering, really.

It was about the
size of that can.

- Perfect for chocolate eclairs.

- Oh, yeah?
- Oh, yes.

Stern memos were sent.

"Personal use of the Lamson
tube is not permitted!"

It was how I
proposed to my wife.

No way!

Did she reply?

Oh, no. She... She said
she'd think about it.

So you didn't go down
on bended knee then?

No, no. I'm...

Far... Far too shy.

Do you... No, you don't.

It didn't last, of
course. She left me.

I don't blame her.

We could never really talk about
anything, what we were doing.

But you both worked here?

Surely she was the only type
of person you could talk to?

Different departments.

"Compartmentation,"
they call it.

Can't talk about
what you're doing.

Destroys relationships.

If you're not careful.

Funny, I used to think of
people here as my family.

They...

They seemed like family.

But they weren't.

Not my real family.

You have to take care
of your real family.

Choose.

James?

Katy?

- Hi!
- Hi, erm...

Do you know where James is?

Yeah. He's, er, behind the
band, round the corner there.

Are you Saara?

Yeah. Is James here?

Come on in.

Thanks.

- Where's your coat?
- What were you doing?

We were just training.
For if we get arrested.

OK, er...

OK. What is it, Saara?
What's the problem?

I'm worried about your job.

OK.

It's an ill*gal protest and you're
bringing your class down here.

Does the school know?

You're not a student
any more, James.

No, I know I'm not a student.

Any more, but are you sure it's not
your job we're talking about here?

Yeah, yeah, that's part of it.

OK.

Did you know that
most of the questions

I got asked at my vetting
interview were about you?

Your politics.

Are you trying to
get me into trouble?

No.

No, of course not.

What are you saying? That you can't
work there and have political views?

Because I don't know about you but
I think this is quite important.

Whether the kids that I teach
will have a future on this planet.

Whether the kids you and I might have one
day will have a future on this planet.

Isn't that more
important than your job?

Or my job? Or any
job, actually?

What is it?

I'm...

I'm really not thinking about
having kids with you, James.

I'm not. I'm sorry.

So, the surface
of revolution...

is a surface defined by

z equals capital H of r.

We need to underline that.

Where r, z and theta are...

Anyone?

Cylindrical polar coordinates.

Thank you, Saara.

Well, I'm glad
someone's listening.

So, yes, are cylindrical
polar coordinates.

So, yes. So, z is the
height coordinate.

I can't believe you said that he should've
written it out before the lesson!

He definitely likes you.

Why don't you ask him out?

What? That's so gross, Vadim.

Anyway, I can't.
He's on the faculty.

Ask him anyway.
Life's too short.

I
couldn't believe it's you.

- That was good today.
- Yeah.

Would you like a mask?

We've got red ones, yellow ones.

Thanks. For my partner.

So who are
you voting for?

Ha-ha.

Thanks.

You're welcome.

Georgia Henderson?

GCHQ don't like us to
use our real names.

OK.

Well, let's find the place.
So we're all set for tomorrow.

Here? Really?

Yeah.

Do you wanna decompress?

Sure.

Oh.

Don't judge me, all
right, it's a problem.

I'm not.

I've actually always wished
I was a messy person.

What?

You know my ex's
apartment was this,

this beautiful,
minimalist nightmare

and if I left anything of mine out she
had it gone in, like, nano-seconds.

That sounds passive
aggressive to me.

- Tidying away the evidence of your existence.
- Huh.

You know what?
You're exactly right.

You're more perceptive
than I give you credit for.

Can I have one?

I thought you don't drink?

I don't.

Careful now.

Shut up.

Right on time.

Dad!

Yeah, I know, I know,
I was at dinner.

No, I did not have
a Yorkshire pudding, Dad,

but good job on the
research. Maybe next time.

Look, I gotta go, OK?

Yeah.

Night, Dad.

I love you, too.

Sorry about that.

He always gets through to
me, even when I was in Iraq.

Have I said something wrong?

No. No...

Then tell me.

It's just...

My dad died...

Recently, actually.

f*ck. I'm... I'm so sorry.

- Sorry, I'm such a d*ck.
- No, honestly, it's fine.

It's great you've got such a
good relationship with your dad.

There was an accident...
a few days ago.

He was a train driver.
He was on the tracks

and he was hit by a train.

Oh, f*ck.

That's according to
my family anyway.

What, you think that it
might have been deliberate?

He was difficult.

Unusual, not difficult.

I was the only one who
really understood him.

He was dependent on me.

Quite heavily dependent.

He had bouts of depression
when I was growing up.

And I used to be the one
who could make him laugh,

get him out of a slump.

And I went away and I
just abandoned him...

Hey.

It's not your fault, OK?

You know, my dad's a cop.

And he was under
the towers on 9/11.

And he lost most of his friends,

you know, guys that
he'd known since school.

And he was really
f*cked up by it,

I mean we all were...

And he needed support too.

But, in the end, I still went away,
Saara. I still got on with my life.

But you talk to him every day,

even when you were
in f*cking Iraq.

I ignored mine.

I cut him out.

Saara, he loved you.

He loved you.

All right? I'm
sure he understood.

Yeah, you're right.

He understood perfectly,
that's the point.

He threw himself
under a train, Kathy.

Come here.

It's going to be all right.

You're going to be all right.

It's not a good idea.

Right, you're upset.

I should go to bed.

Yeah, me too.

We've got some serious standing
around to do tomorrow, so...

Morning.

Morning.

Let's get this over with so I can get
back to Danny's office and apologise.

It's gonna be fine.

One minute.

I'm sorry about last night.

I don't drink, you know? And...

I guess it had more of an
effect than I was expecting.

It's great timing on this particular
conversation starter, Saara.

Go on.

Thank you for coming.

What do you want?

Oh, sorry.

Vadim?

What are you doing here?