Adira: Changes since 2049/10/05

An artist's representation of Adira as an anonymous hacker, showing a masked figure with one glowing eye and wearing a hood with irregular patterns.

The most common depiction of Adira is an anonymous masked and hooded figure with CV dazzle patterns and a glowing eye.

Adira is believed to be a hacker or hacking collective with unfettered access to the networks in use by G6 and the purported ability to brainjack people through their neural colloids. The existence of Adira was first revealed in 2045, when a breach of Zhupao‘s internal network indicated that the company has been using G6 to aid authorities in tracking Adira’s movements and actions as early as 2041.

In October 2049, the investigation into the assassination of Xu Shaoyong and Yuri Golitsyn produced strong evidence that the attack was carried out by Adira, with Efua Amankwah-Crouse identified as the likely suspect.

Table of contents

  1. Origin
    1. 2049 cyberattack
  2. See also
  3. References

Origin

On October 10th 2045, Zhupao suffered a massive breach to its corporate network, resulting in the leak of a data cache containing technical information related to G6. [1] A crowdsourced investigation into the leaked files uncovered a partial list of key words and phrases that were active in G6’s search engines, entered either by G6 members or Zhupao itself. A single search term named adira was ticked as active for all data mined and stored by G6, overriding national and regional data sharing agreements or restrictions.

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) charter for Zhupao’s deployment of the network, this G6-wide search option may only be used in the event of a global alert issued by the WHO. This led to rampant speculation as to the meaning of adira, whether it was an entity in itself or an index term for a subset of related searches, and on whose behalf Zhupao would keep it active in violation of the WHO charter.

A portrait of Xu Shaoyong smiling for the camera and standing in front of a white background.

Xu Shaoyong, pictured in 2049.

On October 13th 2045, Xu Shaoyong released a statement that explained the adira search term as part of an ongoing investigation into an individual or group named Adira with the capability of bypassing G6’s quantum cryptographic security, which he described as “an extraordinary feat that requires an extraordinary use of G6 in response.” Xu claimed that Zhupao was working “in the strictest of confidence to aid Chinese and international authorities in the hunt for an actor or actors with the potential to threaten the cohesion of the network we need for our continued survival.”

Following Xu’s statement, many unclaimed and previously unknown cyberattacks were attributed to Adira, and a string of surveillance operations and police actions was linked to the international effort to track their movements. This contributed to their public status as a prolific and elusive hacker, with numerous theories of widely varying plausibility proposed by investigators, reporters, and amateur enthusiasts to determine the identity and motivations of Adira. [2]

2049 cyberattack

A photo of Efua Amankwah-Crouse. She's talking with a microphone on a TED stage and looking to the audience, smiling.

Efua Amankwah-Crouse has been officially accused of being Adira.

On October 2nd 2049, an investigation into the assassination of Xu and Yuri Golitsyn produced strong evidence that the attack was carried out by Adira. This led to the arrest and subsequent release of Hong Lian, an Omnius contractor who was briefly suspected of being Adira when her work terminal was identified as a possible origin of the cyberattack. [3]

On October 4th 2049, the investigation uncovered a direct link between the attack and Efua Amankwah-Crouse, which has renewed accusations that she is Adira. With confirmation that she has gone into hiding, Interpol has indicated that it is preparing to serve a Red Notice for the arrest of Amankwah-Crouse. [4] On October 6th 2049, Zhupao extended a formal invitation to assist Interpol with the hunt for Amankwah-Crouse “by any means necessary.”

See also

References

  1. Egler, L. (October 2045). “Zhupao data leak reveals inner workings and undisclosed quantum tech of G6.” Wired. ↩
  2. Hon, A; Hon, D. (December 2045). “ARG players are throwing themselves on the search for Adira.” MSSV. ↩
  3. Liu, K. (October 2049). “Assassination suspect released from custody after Chinese inquest.” China Daily. ↩
  4. Huang, Y. (October 2049). “Efua Amankwah-Crouse linked to Adira, to be cited in international arrest warrant.” Xinhua. ↩