Submarine crew fakes a software/virus-initiated missile attack to trick bad guy programmer into revealing the abort code [closed]

Submarine crew fakes a software/virus-initiated missile attack to trick bad guy programmer into revealing the abort code [closed] - Side view of unrecognizable hacker in hoodie sitting at white table and working remotely on netbook in light room near wall

I'm having trouble recalling which television show had an episode with a particular plot. It was probably on TV in the 1990s but could well have been a movie. Haven't had much luck googling and searching/reading episode summaries on IMDB.

Plot points I recall (vaguely; may be inaccurate but they stick in my mind):

  • On a submarine, there is a laptop with software (perhaps referred to as a "virus") that threatens to kill a bunch of innocent people, possibly by launching nuclear missiles. At least, I'm fairly sure there was a submarine...
  • Bad guy invents a software program to "translate English into Japanese automatically" (or possibly vice-versa).
    • I recall this seeming far-fetched at the time (using Google Translate recently triggered this memory).
    • It may have been late in the episode that the bad guy reveals his motivation; I think I mainly remember the ending.
  • Bad guy becomes disgruntled after his employer pays him just a salary while they make millions.
  • The crew of the submarine fakes a malfunction in the software causing it to target the submarine.
    • The bad guy falls for this trick and tells one of the good guys (possibly the female lead) how to disable the software (some obscure keyboard shortcut like "control+alt+shift+F9").

I have done some detailed searching of these series (but haven't watched them... yet ;-):

  • SeaQuest DSV - I thought it was this show but so far haven't found an episode with the stated plot. Even searched through online transcripts for all three seasons...
  • JAG - I thought perhaps the submarine thing was making me think of SeaQuest and figured it might have been JAG. There seem to be a lot of seasons and episodes but I only watched a handful.
  • Seven Days - I read through the episode summaries and checked a few plausible ones found on YouTube but nothing convincing.


Best Answer

I believe you are correct and that this is one of the early JAG episodes. I have very similar recollections.

Here's a description of Episode 3 - Shadow, that I think fits the bill.




Pictures about "Submarine crew fakes a software/virus-initiated missile attack to trick bad guy programmer into revealing the abort code [closed]"

Submarine crew fakes a software/virus-initiated missile attack to trick bad guy programmer into revealing the abort code [closed] - Two Women Looking at the Code at Laptop
Submarine crew fakes a software/virus-initiated missile attack to trick bad guy programmer into revealing the abort code [closed] - Person in Black Hoodie Hacking a Computer System
Submarine crew fakes a software/virus-initiated missile attack to trick bad guy programmer into revealing the abort code [closed] - Workplace with modern laptop with program code on screen





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