Digital Fortress Book Review Final

Book Title: DIGITAL FORTRESS
Author: Dan Brown

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Publisher Address: 175 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10010
Publication Date: Copyright © 1998; St.Martin’s Griffin edition / May 5, 2000; St.
Martin’s Paperbacks edition / January 2004
Page Count: 525
I. PLOT SUMMARY
The action-packed story of Digital Fortress moves on two parallel planes:
one in the headquarters of America’s National Security Agency (NSA) and another in
the form of a race against time across continents (America & Europe) for a gold ring. In
most military intelligence and war stories, the weaponry comprises machine guns, tanks
and explosives etc. But in Digital Fortress, the combat hardware is something that
almost all of us use in daily lives, such as computers, e-mail and the World Wide Web
AKA Internet. The protagonists primarily fight with brainpower, though there are some
instances where firepower, like guns, is also employed. The best thing about Digital
Fortress is perhaps the knowledge and understanding about computer-aided encryption
and code-breaking technologies such as brute force, algorithms, square coding, etc.
which is simplistically explained.
The book starts off with an emergency at United States’ NSA when it’s
supposedly invincible code-breaking computer “TRANSLTR” with more than a million
processors, encounters a mysterious code it cannot break. Trevor Strathmore, deputy
1
director of the NSA, calls the agency’s head cryptographer, Susan Fletcher, a brilliant
mathematician to assist in finding a solution. What she uncovers sends shock waves
through the corridors of power.
The NSA is being held hostage - not by a nuclear bomb - but by software
so complex that if released would cripple American intelligence. Thus begins the real or
rather the virtual war on cyberspace, where the “bomb” (an encryption algorithm) will
explode, exposing the entire American Defense Ministry’s data to anyone and everyone.
In the novel, “Digital Fortress” is actually the name given to a code created
by mathematics wizard, encryption software expert and former employee of NSA, Ensie
Tankado. A code with a potential to derail NSA’s efforts to keep tabs on all the data that
is transmitted on the information superhighway, stumps the agency’s secret multi-billion
dollar code-breaking computer TRANSLTR. Born with deformed fingers due to the
effect of nuclear radiation his mother suffered at Hiroshima, Tankado grows up thirsting
for revenge against the United States. Later as he grows older, Tankado’s hatred for
America slowly fades. In his early age, Tankado becomes a cult figure among
programmers and is offered a job in Texas, US by IBM and rides a wave of fame and
fortune writing algorithms, forcing NSA to offer him a job in its team of cryptographers.
As a human rights activist, Tankado quits NSA when he comes to know
that through its TRANSLTR the agency could access and open everyone’s e-mail and
reseal it without their knowing. Tankado, a firm believer of the Latin saying “Quis
2
custodiet ipsos custodies” meaning “Who will guard the guards?”, tries to go public with
news about TRANSLTR and its capability with the help of Electronic Frontier
Foundation (EFF) – an online group of people championing for personal right to secrecy
in electronic communications – but is captured, accused of spying and deported to
Japan. To take revenge for his disgraceful exit from the NSA and US, Tankado creates
“Digital Fortress” and unleashes it on TRANSLTR.
The virtual attack on the TANSLTR sparks off two chains of events – a
battle with a traitor within NSA headquarters that envelops Susan Fletcher, and a race
across continents for a gold ring worn by Tankado, on which is engraved the Latin key
to break the code and save vital defense data of the United States. The race draws in
David Becker, Fletcher’s fiancé, who travels to Spain to retrieve the gold ring. In Seville,
thrilling chase scenes, chilling murders and miraculous escapes result in Becker gaining
possession of the ring. Meanwhile, at NSA, there is a crescendo of murder and
explosions, and it emerges that Strathmore, has an agenda that goes beyond decoding
Digital Fortress. The author’s skill at hinting and concealing Strathmore’s deceit will hold
readers till the finish.
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II. EVALUATION
The author has done a good attempt to explain how a cryptographer
works, the origin of cryptography and nations security threat if the codes are not
decrypted on time. The whole plot revolves around NSA (National Security Agency),
whose primary function is to decode all the digital communications including personal
emails of common people; and to facilitate the decoding faster and effectively, they
have built an giant code breaking machine.
The novel starts with interesting note, well plotted with vivid explanations
to the concept of cryptography and the attempt to decode the communication of people
for the security of the nation, involving a little suspense and thrill. But somewhere down
the story line, the end can be easily found out. Rather, that is the reason, after a certain
point of time it can be felt that the novel has lost the suspense and thrill.
The author has done exclusive study on the subject, which is clear from
the detailed working of NSA. However, one of the flaws of the book is that Brown
inaccurately portrays the leadership of the NSA; that is, as part of the Department of
Defense, the NSA director – by law – must be a three-star Lieutenant General or Vice
Admiral.
4
III. ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENT
1. What category of Intelligence is shown or discussed?
Digital Fortress falls under the category of Counter-Intelligence. It tackles
the flaws on safeguarding of classified information and in the passive Communication
and Electronic Security. Moreover, this novel also discusses the active counter-
sabotage when an “unbreakable” code Digital Fortress is about to open up the classified
database of NSA to the information superhighway and the protagonists do everything to
prevent this to happen.
2. In the story, how intelligence was used or attained success?
Intelligence was used by the hero, David Becker, in retrieving the pass-
key of the code “Digital Fortress”. Though he is not an agent of NSA, CIA or FBI, he
utilized his innate skills and language capabilities which qualify him as one.
Likewise, the heroine, Susan Fletcher, also found out who was the actual
owner of the anonymous e-mail address by sending a tracer mail to that address. She
further discovered who the true traitor inside the NSA is.
3. Enumerate tradecraft application and point it out from what part of the
story?
Intelligence tradecraft applications used in the novel were shown in the
following:
5
a. Observation & Description
In chapter 14 (p. 87), David Becker noticed that he skin on Tankado’s left
hand showed traces of sunburn, everywhere except a narrow band of flesh around the
smallest finger. Thus, he concluded that Tankando must have worn a ring and lost it
after he died. That ring was missing from the latter’s personal belongings. It is here
where the chase for the gold ring started.
b. Cover & Undercover
Although not an intelligence agent, David Becker used covers in trying to
retrieve the lost gold ring. He posed as a member of staff of the Canadian Embassy
when he inquired at the Clínica de Salud Pública (p. 110, Chapter 20). He also told
Pierre Cloucharde that he is from the Canadian Consulate to gain trust from the old
reporter (p. 116, Chapter 22). Further, Becker used cover as a wealthy jeweler from
Burgos, Spain when he could not get information from Señor Roldán of Escortes Belén
(p. 148, Chapter 28). He then used the alias Miguel Buisán when he spoke with Alfonso
XIII concierge named Manuel in trying to find out where the German Hans Huber and
his escort Rocio Eva Granada are (p. 161, Chapter 30).
c. Surveillance
Susan Fletcher used internet surveillance to track down the real identity of
the owner of the e-mail add [email protected] (p. 91, Chapter 15). Susan had
created a “tracer”, a directional beacon, disguised as a piece of E-mail. She sent it to
6
the user’s phony address, and the remailing company, performing the duty for which it
had been contracted, would forward it to the user’s real address.
Surveillance is also shown by the two NSA agents, Smith and Coliander,
when upon the orders of NSA Director Leland Fontaine, they keep an eye on the
assassin Hulohot as shown in the video they took when Tankando was killed (p. 481,
Chapter 117). Thus, another intelligence tradecraft was applied in here, which is
Clandestine Photography.
d. Interview & Elicitation
In trying to recover Tankando’s personal belongings especially the gold
ring, David Becker used interview and elicitation techniques. He first used it on a young
lieutenant of the Seville Guardia (p.87, Chapter 14). In chase for the lost gold ring, he
again used these on the Canadian Pierre Cloucharde (p. 120, Chapter 22), Escortes
Belén’s Señor Roldán (p. 150, Chapter 28), on the escort Rocio Eva Granada (p. 184,
Chapter 35) and on the punk Two-Tone (p. 261, Chapter 58).

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Book Title: DIGITAL FORTRESS

Author: Dan Brown

The action-packed story of Digital Fortress moves on two parallel planes:

Fortress is perhaps the knowledge and understanding about computer-aided encryption

which is simplistically explained.

supposedly invincible code-breaking computer “TRANSLTR” with more than a million

processors, encounters a mysterious code it cannot break. Trevor Strathmore, deputy

through the corridors of power.

is transmitted on the information superhighway, stumps the agency’s secret multi-billion

As a human rights activist, Tankado quits NSA when he comes to know

in electronic communications – but is captured, accused of spying and deported to

“Digital Fortress” and unleashes it on TRANSLTR.

possession of the ring. Meanwhile, at NSA, there is a crescendo of murder and

readers till the finish.

The author has done a good attempt to explain how a cryptographer

have built an giant code breaking machine.

1. What category of Intelligence is shown or discussed?

Digital Fortress falls under the category of Counter-Intelligence. It tackles

the flaws on safeguarding of classified information and in the passive Communication

database of NSA to the information superhighway and the protagonists do everything to

prevent this to happen.

2. In the story, how intelligence was used or attained success?

Intelligence tradecraft applications used in the novel were shown in the

where the chase for the gold ring started.

b. Cover & Undercover

Although not an intelligence agent, David Becker used covers in trying to

created a “tracer”, a directional beacon, disguised as a piece of E-mail. She sent it to

had been contracted, would forward it to the user’s real address.

d. Interview & Elicitation

In trying to recover Tankando’s personal belongings especially the gold

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