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“Rachel!” Elle sounded shocked “Please tell me you know that most of the computers at TayFor aren’t connected to the internet”

“I haven’t been here in ten years; hoould I know that?” Now she was definitely losing patience She paced her office, feeling the walls close in on her with every step she took

“Each building is a standalone netith its own server that backs up everything in an encrypted format And that’s backed up by the server in the basement Even the connection between that server and the others is a closed systeet into it from the outside”

“How on earth do the research scientists communicate with the outside world if they don’t have internet access in their labs?” Rachel asked

“The office building has internet access”

“So, all the thief needs to do is download the research onto a thu, and email it out,” Rachel said “Shouldn’t we check those coet this over with?”

“No” Elle shook her head, ht red waves bounce “Apart from the fact most computers have all unnecessary USB ports disabled, every ram that records downloads If one occurs, both security and the section boss are sent an autoe to download the files without being noticed and email them from their office, there are firewalls upon firewalls to stop anything like that getting out It just isn’t possible”

“Could they have transferred it to their phone and sent it that way?” Rachel said

Harvard answered, “Phones, smartwatches, any personal devices are left at the security station in each building Staff then go through e is allowed into the labs—including thumb drives”

“Okay, but they must have laptops they take hoht work home, some of it sensitive

“Any data that’s taken outside the building has to be

approved by department bosses, and it’s only allowed out on TayFor’s own encryption-enabled laptops,” Elle said “Each of which is examined by the IT division when it’s returned, to check there’s been no unusual activity No personal laptops are alloithin the facility”

“This is iust

“No, but it’s going to be hard The thief is hacking the systeure out how” Elle’s voice had lowered as though she wasn’t even aware they were in the room with her anymore “I need Harry’s help He literally writes the code to catch ghost progra I’ll shoot him an e”

“He’s in Scotland,” Rachel said “They’re busy setting up home in Invertary I’m not entirely sure he’ll be available to help He has other priorities now he’s sold his share of Benson Security”