Tiered network, how to counter it., or, how to hack back Options

[The Jopp]

Continuing the Tiered network and multiple nodes oddities.

Well, according to the SR4 book one can actually create ones own tiered network, but some slight problem arises, like how do you connect to the “firewall” node.

Hacker NEO has two commlinks and one is a firewall loaded with IC and agents. He has all the access through login and passwords to hack TROUGH that commlink and anyone trying to hack HIM must go through the firewall commlink.

So what can one do as the opposition? The persona is the actual thing hacking, the commlinks are just a tool. Here’s the setup for NEO’s firewall tiered network

1. Commlink 1 has access to Firewall
2. Firewall is NOT on a subscription list
3. Both are in hidden mode
4. Firewall & Commlink is Encrypted and Databombed (Device)
5. Firewall has several agents and IC on the prowl.
6. One agent has access to send alerts to commlink 1

In order to reach Commlink 1 I have to do a lot of work…

1. Find the hidden signal on Commlink 1
2. Decrypt hidden signal on Commlink 1
3. Use Spoof or Exploit to get inside the system and do something.
4. Dodge 3+ IC and an agent guarding the firewall and looking for trouble.
5. Crash the OS

Ok, so now the Firewall commlink is crashed and the OS must reboot, yay, or perhaps not…

NEO realises that the OS is attacked since one of the agents on the firewall reported my actions as I narrowly managed to dodge the four IC programs swarming the firewall and simply switched device. The rebooting system was just a secure room for him, he steps out of it but is still logged inside the system he’s been hacking in since he used multiple nodes - but he is now more vulnerable since his commlink is designed for brute force hacking, fully relying on his firewall to protect him.

Me, I just logged out from the rebooting commlink and shall now see if I can hunt down NEO directly.

Now, Neo could have done things in another way and stopped his hacking and simply stepped inside the firewall with his commlink 1 and attacked me since he has all the legal access - giving me no end of problems as both NEO and four IC attacked me simultaneously to protect the firewall.

Once I had been kicked out and/or been rendered unconscious he would still have his firewall running and a chance to continue hacking securely.