2078, August 11
Law enforcement in the Brazilian state of Amazonas has uncovered a large-scale illegal botnet linking the brains of various species of wild animals. According to initial police data, it involves hundreds, and possibly even thousands of animals — mostly mammals, but also birds. All of them are located in hard-to-reach forested areas, which facilitated the creation of the network and its existence for years.
So far, following a large-scale international operation, more than twenty individuals connected to the project have been identified from Brazil, Colombia, Mexico, as well as several European countries. The network was likely used for hacker attacks against targets in Western Europe and the United States, but local police have not yet ruled out other uses, including cryptocurrency mining.
The animals’ brains were connected through implanted neural chips and transmitted signals via antennas for wireless internet hidden in the jungle, as well as through the network infrastructure of nearby villages, farms, and forestry enterprises. It was precisely through the detection of unusual traffic in one of the villages in the area that the existence of the illegal activity was discovered.
It is worth recalling, that connecting animal brains via Brain–Computer Interface technology is illegal in Brazil, as well as in most countries worldwide. Apart from being considered inhumane, it is most often used for cybercrime and other unlawful purposes. This technology is permitted by law only for defense needs, for ensuring the work of the police forces in some countries, and in a few other limited cases.