Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Mathematics behind one alien architecture

I studied mathematics in college and have always believed it to be the ultimate science. Yes, I've admired physics—but in a condescending way—and coined the net-net observation:
A physicist is just a mathematician with common sense.
Of course Stephen Wolfram (A New Kind of Science) seems to have blurred the distinction between the two disciplines, but I've steadfastly maintained my bias in favor of mathematics. Last week, I reinforced that opinion during a trip to Palo Alto to hear a keynote speech by Jeffrey L. Walker (the second member of my Cyber Privateer Fantasy League team and the genius behind my derivation of The Perfect Virus). Also present at the meeting was Jeff's chief mathematician and brain trust Bruce Tow. Bruce has worked with Jeff in several iterations over the years, and is best described as:
One of the world's premier modelers and abstract thinkers, and a principal in SynOvation Solutions, which tackles complex, multidisciplinarychallenges - all sizes/types.
It was during a conversation with Bruce that I learned of his friend Michael Stephen Fiske, the mathematician behind the concept of The Active Element Machine. Fisk's 23-page paper (you can read the PDF here) not only describes the mathematics and programming of a malware-proof computer, but it defines the kind of Alien Architecture to which I believe the Chinese are moving in their goal to prevail in an all-out cyber war. The one-two punch of The Active Element Machine for cyber privateers:
  1. You can't subvert the operating system code because you can't find a static access point. Proof? If you're in the top one-tenth of one percent of mathematicians, you can see the proof in the above referenced PDF file. To the rest of you, including the LulzSec crew who didn't have the academic discipline to actually go to college and leave your mothers' basements full of gaming consoles, you'll just have to take my word for it.
  2. The Active Element Machine is massively parallel and can crack encryption schemes for breakfast. Interestingly, Fiske even provides a programming methodology and rigorous proof of its robustness.

Is anyone in the U.S. chain of command paying attention to this technology? My "nose" tells me yes, but I choose not play those cards face up. In tomorrow's post, I'll speculate about one remarkable technology I think the Israeli Mossad has up and running. Heh heh.

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Implementation suggestions for THE MORGAN DOCTRINE are most welcome. What are the "Got'chas!"? What questions would some future Cyber Privateering Czar have to answer about this in a Senate confirmation hearing?