In Istanbul, James Bond pursues a mercenary who has stolen a hard drive containing the names of undercover NATO agents. During the chase, Bond is accidentally shot by a fellow MI6 agent and presumed dead. However, he survives and retreats into seclusion. In London, MI6's servers are hacked, and the agency is attacked, which results in the deaths of several employees. Subsequently, the stolen hard drive's contents are leaked online by the perpetrator. Realizing the severity of the situation, Bond resurfaces to offer his assistance and is tasked by M, the head of MI6, to track down the cyberterrorist responsible.

Bond's investigation leads him to Shanghai and Macau, where he discovers a link to an ex-MI6 operative named Raoul Silva, who harbors a deep resentment against M and seeks revenge. Silva is a master of cyber warfare and psychological manipulation, using these skills to orchestrate the attacks on MI6 and to play mind games with Bond and M. As Bond delves deeper into Silva's twisted plan, he also grapples with his own physical and psychological scars, questioning his role as an agent in a world where the lines between friend and foe are increasingly blurred.