CIP device

The CIP device was a module specifically designed to breach the Classified Infrastructure Portal firewall. The CIP firewall protected most major U.S. infrastructure (telecommunication, transportation, and power grids); if it were breached, they would all be vulnerable to hacking. It was created by a captured Michael Latham at the behest of Sangalan war criminal Iké Dubaku. The device was used to perpetrate two terrorist attacks against the United States in an attempt to coerce President Allison Taylor into calling off the US invasion of Sangala. However, the device was destroyed during an undercover operation to capture Dubaku.

Before Day 7

For eight weeks prior to Day 7, a crew of mercenaries (working directly for Iké Dubaku) was stealing numerous software and hardware required to build the CIP device. Gabriel Schector was responsible for forging access cards which the thieves used to gain entry to the facilities. ("Day 7: 8:00am-9:00am")

Day 7

Michael Latham, the chief engineer of the CIP firewall, was one of the few people who could build the CIP device. At 8:01am, he was kidnapped by the same mercenaries (led by Tony Almeida) and forced to work on the device. At 8:09am, Latham finished building the CIP module, and it was used by Almeida to hack into Northeast Air Traffic Control's systems. One of the mercenaries cut off their communication with Global Skies Airlines Flight 117 and Sunrise International Flight 35 and, pretending to be an ATC operator, directed the two flights into a collision course at JFK International Airport. However, Almeida instructed the pilot of Flight 117 to pull up, just as he was about to collide with Flight 35. He then called the supervisor of Northeast 3, warning that this was only a demonstration of what the CIP device was capable of. At 9:34am, Almeida's superior, David Emerson, delivered the device to Iké Dubaku at his base of operations inside the Ritter Building. ("8:00am-9:00am", "9:00am-10:00am")

Flight 131 collides with Flight 471

Dubaku contacted President Taylor and warned that he would use the device to kill American citizens unless she withdrew all U.S. armed forces from around Sangala. When he had yet to receive any indication that the president was complying with his demands, he decided to make good on his threat. He had his technician hack into the ATC systems and direct flights 131 and 471 into a collision course. At 1:26pm, Flight 131 collided with Flight 471, killing everyone aboard both aircraft. With the president still refusing to give in to Dubaku's demands, he decided to utilize the CIP device again, this time targeting the Boyd Chemical Plant in Kidron, Ohio. ("10:00am-11:00am", "1:00pm-2:00pm")

Dubaku's technician caused the safety valves on the primary storage tank—which contained over 3,000 gallons of methyl isocyanate (MIC)—to fail and began raising the pressure on the tank itself. This would have eventually caused it to erupt, releasing the deadly insecticide into the atmosphere. Prevailing winds would have swept the cloud over Kidron, which would have killed over 50% of its population. The plant manager, John Brunner, entered the primary tank room and manually released some of the pressure, buying some time for his employes to evacuate. However, the CIP intrusion was cut short when undercover operatives (including Jack Bauer, Tony Almeida, Bill Buchanan, and Renee Walker) infiltrated the Ritter Building in an attempt to capture Dubaku. The CIP device was dropped and destroyed in an ensuing gunfight. Brunner was the only one killed during the Boyd chemical plant intrusion, but thirteen other employees were hospitalized. ("2:00pm-3:00pm")

See also

• CIP firewall
• Taylor administration conspiracy