[X] My Assistant

[Edward]

Safe decryption, the powerful rating 1 comlink.

Having stolen encrypted data file to decrypt at my leisure I am concerned that it could contain IC or a data bomb, not trusting myself to notice such I load the file onto a cheep rating 1 comlink along with a rating 1 decrypt utility. With some effort (using low end decrypt prog) I crack open the file. The ice or data bomb attempts to run but the system is already running the maximum number of programs.

I see 3 possible outcomes.

The IC runes, the comlinks response drops to 0,

the system may crash or continue to run will all programs (including IC) working at rating 0, thus nothing bad happens to me or my file while I deal with the IC based on my skill alone.

The system crashes and with luck I got an idea of where the IC/data bomb is giving me an advantage when I try again (I copied the file).

The IC/data bomb fails to run at all because there is no runtime available, i can now read the file at my leisure while the IC waits for the system resources it needs to fry my brain.

What do you good people think of this.

Edward

[Ryu]

I think it is option 4: You fail to open the file. Nothing happens.

Reason: Running the data bomb is part of the process of opening the file. You either can or you can´t do that. If you can open the file, the databomb runs and does its work. (One could allow for opening the file anyway, but something better than "MS whatever" should prevent that. In that case option 2 with no information gained)

Regarding copying the file: How? Copy should be a form of access - the bomb should be triggered at that stage.

[Serbitar]

1st: decryption rules are broken
2nd: fix decryption rules (to something like a treshold of 4 x encryption rating)
3rd: you can (optionally, but this is a MUST) only roll "dice" times in RAW (I would fix that to "skill" times)
4th: With a comlink of 1 you can only roll 2 (response+decryption)dice 2 times, to a maximum number of 4 hits. This comlink is at best going to crack an encryption of 1.
(With my house rule, you roll Logic+Hacking with a maximum number of "hacking" rolls and a maximum number of "decryption" hits per roll, so thats 6 hits with hacking 6 and decryption 1)

Rules exploit fixed.

[Dranem]

If copying the file would have triggered the Data Bomb, then it would have triggered in the node he originally found it in.

[Witness]

Agreed. But I rule that copying would trigger a data bomb. Otherwise it's just too easy for a hacker to go into a node, copy everything, then retire to a safe distance and pick over it at leisure.

[hobgoblin]

i would say that the ice runs and beats the crap out of the hackers persona. but then i have my own interpetation about how the response drop works...

[The Jopp]

I would rule that trying to access the file in ANY way would trigger the databomb unless it was found and disabled. The databomb should have exploded within the node he was active in if he tried to copy it.

What I find annoying is that Databombs aren't that scary, they do Rating boxes of damage, that's a maximum of six boxes of damage. I'd rather see that they did Rating X2 boxes so that even low yield bombs would actually make you sweat when disarming them.

[Serbitar]

I think, the fact that they can trigger an alarm is THE most dangerous thing. Secondly, they destroy the data file, wich is the main use of the bomb. The data-bomb would be useful even without any damage. The damage is just an additional gimmick.

[The Jopp]

[Aaron]

[The Jopp]

Hmm, according to the RAW it does say when "Accessed". This should mean that any action involving the file in question like copying, moving etc would make the file to go off.

Matrix perception tests are not an action that would trigger the bomb since you are just looking at it, albeit a bit closer.

But here's the funny side of it. If you have Admin access (and IF the admin access include private files) you COULD use the admin access to copy the file to a crappy commlink.

EDIT: Admins should have the right to move files, it would be quite inconvenient to have a few hundred files scattered around to suddenly go *pop* when they start moving to a new server... :grinbig:

[Glayvin34]

It doesn't take a complex action for Data Bombs to go off like it does for normal programs, they happen instantly then disappear. So it seems to be that the Data Bomb program isn't actually running. It ran when it installed the Bomb, then whoever installed the Bomb left. So the Data Bomb's Effects aren't programs.
The presence of a encrypted file doesn't mean that Encrypt is running, so a data bomb that goes off isn't a full program, just a self-contained file.
But that's just me. :grinbig:

[Edward]

Copying would trigger a data bomb only if the data bomb is not encrypted. (Bomb added after encryption). This was described in SR4 in a side bar on IC and encryption

On a rating 1 system you would be rolling hacking + program (1) if you have hacking 5 that is 6 dice 6 times, 36 dice will open pretty much any file.

Glayvin34’s interpretation could be correct, it is also posable that the passage I read aplyed only to IC not to databombs.

This would mean it is only necessary for programs with encrypted IC, not encrypted data bombs.

Edward

[Aaron]

[Aaron]

[Kremlin KOA]

computer + decrypt actually

[Aaron]

That's it, I'm gettin' me the PDF ...

[Rotbart van Dain...]

[Teulisch]

actualy, decrypt uses the electronic warfare skill, not hacking.

this is an important skill, as it means a non-computer person who specializes in comunications equipment can still encrypt/decrypt broadcast transmissions without need for any real understanding of computers and hacking.

a rigger, for instance, will have a high electronic warfare, but probably will have little use for hacking.

so you roll Electronic warefare+Encrypt/Decrypt. this skill has no default, so the unskilled should not be able to perform this action.

[Aaron]

[Rotbart van Dain...]

[Witness]

[mdynna]

Ok, chock up another confusing inconsistency in the rule book. Under the section title "Using Electronic Warfare Skill" the sub-heading "Encryption and Decryption" says:

[Aaron]

[Serbitar]

I can just repeat myself:

1st: the encryption rules are broken
2nd: the response+decrypt thing may be realistic, but it is missleading as it is breaking SR4s system of skill+programme, that has already broken the attribute+skill system, again.

Thats why I use logic+skill, with programme as hit limiter (just like spells). And my decryption test is:

logic+electronic warfare (4xEcryption rating, 1 turn/1hour) with "electronic warfare" rolls. (turn or hour depends on whether it is real time encryption for communications or data encryption). Balanced, consistent, works.