Creating a THOR node Options

[Buster]

[Moon-Hawk]

[Ravor]

Aye Buster, I liked your idea of a dedicated communications network enough that I made mention of it in an Edit of my Node writeup, but even with such a network, it's still possible, albeit harder to hack your way into a Thor Platform.

[Ryu]

The device is located on the orbital platform and the list does not require regular updates. It´s more like a single code in an envelope in the CEOs personal safe anyway.

[Ravor]

Umm, oookkk. The idea of not being able to change your launch-codes as needed and quickly is just scary to me. And still, exactly what type of device are you using to check in the first place?

[Lilt]

Well, first you need to consider the price of the various hardware and software you're talking about, and consider the price of making them manned with the normal security parameters against normal attack.

If they're connected somehow, it'd be via direct connections, and wouldn't be via one direct connection. There would be multiples that would all need to be hacked simultaneously.

If they're manned, employees would be screened psychologically and physically at delta clinics and would be initially chosen for their loyalty. As the Thor systems are in space, they've already got protection against magical interference that ground-based operations do not have.

Note: Making them turn themselves off at the first sign of danger is not an option. Otherwise, the opponent might just send a bunch of hackers at the target and watch as they get creamed but the attack is prevented.

I think that any rating beyond 7 represents ahead-of-the game stuff, and I'd happily give key stuff in military environments ratings of 7 or above. Sure, it can be experimental or task-centric, but when military budgets are involved and teams of scientists work on something dedicated you get a lot out of it. Weren't the Colossus code-cracking machines from WW2 supposedly still better than some modern computers at cracking codes, even though they were running on valves? That's an old story, I wouldn't be surprised if it had been surpassed nowadays, but IMHO ratings of 7 or above are fair game for 'unreasonable' hardware and software.

If you must, consider what multiple rating 6 machines would be like working together towards the same task, or make the hacker make their rolls twice and say they're having to hack-in both ways simultaneously. Stack the odds against the hacker, it is possible.

[Ryu]

A ROM+RAM-device that has the list in ROM and requires a copy of the "user-list" written into its RAM once per round. If that doesn´t happen or results in a different copy, alert is triggered.

The basic limitation is "a matrix node". I´d have the sattelite on a PAN with a group of comlinks that are hardwired to each other and connected to the sattelite via LASER. The comlink-network is NOT connected to the matrix and sitting in a secure room in corporate HQ. Straight out forget entering this system without admin-accesscodes known beforehand. Any activity on the datajack-ports has to be legitimated in the first round else it is considered an attack. No probing the system.

Remember the list of THOR owners and think about the security involved at HQ itself.

[Coren]

Actually, I'd probably just have it non-wireless accessable (on site only and only at one terminal), and make it so you would need a special socket in your datajack along with the datajack needing specific hardware (think Omega cyberdeck from 3E Shadowrun Companion).

[Ravor]

Well personally I figure that any corp big enough to even think about owning a Thor Platform is big enough not to worry about little things like copy protection (I figure that they have access to a copy of the Source Code used to make the software that everyone else is buying.), so you are basically looking at hardware costs plus whatever salary a Decker capable of coding non-copy protected ( Rating 6 ) software brings in. *Edit* And they would already want to have the Decker on staff even without worrying about protecting their Thor Platforms so that isn't really an added cost. */Edit*

<><><><><>

Ryu, if the list isn't in orbit then you are leaving your system open to Buster's "drone-in-the-middle" attack. And you know that you simply can't have a direct laser connection from Corp HQ to your Thor Platform, you have to also have relay stats in orbit that can also be spoofed.

No, although you will want some decent ground-based security, you also need to make sure that everything in orbit is capable of standing on it's own two feet.

<><><><><>

Coren, sure but unless your Thor Platforms are manned then a signal has to be sent to orbit at some time.

[kzt]

[James McMurray]

[Ravor]

Hmm, very interesting point kzt, but what workaround do the corps have in place for the next corp war? Surely they aren't going to allow a rival corp the ability to shut down their Thor Platforms by purposely tripping alarms in either system?

[Ryu]

I have the list in orbit, have fun getting there. And I´m willing to have a dedicated relay network in orbit, guarded as before and communicating via directional channels with individual THORs. I like that even better than linking straight to a THOR.

[Ravor]

Yeah, and I'm back to;

[Eleazar]

[Ravor]

Well the way I see it, a simple spoofing test wouldn't work because a Thor Platform isn't the same as a drone which is designed to accept and execute commands instantly, in my example, spoofing would allow you to access the platform's node, but you still have to hack the nodes themselves in order to fire the weapon.

Basically it's the same reason I can't just spoof a corp system into giving me all of it's paydata as well as shuting down the security systems and opening the elevator doors for my team, I ahve to actually hack the systems and be able to Stealth (Or Crash) whatever IC/Security Deckers are standing in my way.

[kzt]

[Ravor]

:eek: Umm, you want to run that by me again, in english this time? 8)

[Eleazar]

[kzt]

[Ravor]

Ok, yeah in that scenerio I agree, a single Spoof Test and you're ready to rain fiery destruction down upon your enemies, starting with one soon to be very crispy bunkered dragon. :cyber:

Talia Invierno does that count as a win for the runners? 8)

[Buster]

I'm thinking that Thor platforms are strategic, rather than tactical weapons, so a few more milliseconds wouldn't matter in their security systems. This allows you to add a lot of layers of security to the system that you couldn't have in a drone.

Since each relay is potentially a weak link, I imagine that each relay satellite would be a cluster of nodes that have to be hacked through before moving on to the next relay. I'm thinking of the opening intro to the Get Smart TV show where Agent Smart has to go through a Rube Goldberg set of security doors before he gets to the trapdoor at the end of the complex. :D

[Ravor]

Ok, other then the near impossiblity of actually managing to hack into the system not once but twice, what would a runner have to do in order to code her own version of a guideance program?

I would assume that Thor Platforms have to be tested through dry runs once in a while, so a Decker should be able to get a peak at a sample during one of the tests since we are talking about a team that can find and get to a dragon's lair with no questions asked. ;)

[Kyoto Kid]

A Thor shot platform/command centre should be at the very least as difficult as cracking Zurich Orbital. Not only would the system be isolated from the outside, but, not having everything in one convenient gift wrapped package would add to the security.

@Adam & Ravor: Two (or more) Metahumans with the interlock passkeys inserted simultaneously would be an excellent failsafe, especially if they were aboard the orbital platform. This can even be layered. For one, you would have to go “up there� to deal with them, Second, hope the runners have Zero G experience or things could get pretty interesting in a hurry. Target Wastelands has a lot of good info on dealing with micro & zero G environments. One additional thing I do is have the runners perform a body test to not lose their lunch (this has even happened to trained astronauts in RL). Even if the test succeeded, I would have the PCs without Zero/Micro G training suffer the effects of nausea for a period of 24 hrs – (Body + Willpower). Of course the personnel aborad the station would have the proper conditioning & training. Finally, in space, “no one can hear the mage scream�.

The platform itself would have it's own security measures as well. Platform Personnel would be armed with tasers, stun batons, and possibly dart/squirt pistols (as these would not cause a hull breach). Other measures could include low velocity flechette launchers (to rip holes in the space suits of intruders) concealed in strategic areas. The module would then be sealed off and either flooded with a neuro/stun toxin or if the owner is really sadistic, simply have the module's atmosphere vented out. These could either be manually triggered by the station's security operator and/or tied to access codes.

There would be of course also be full fire control redundancy in the event the command facility is totally compromised. In a sense this can be a very nasty “insurance policy� if necessary. OK, dodge rolls – er – Edge attributes everyone… :grinbig:

@Buster: To further reduce the risk of magical tampering I would also consider setting the ground based centre it in an area with a high background count or even possibly a mana void. Even if the team's mage got to one or more of the personnel on the outside, the spells would go have a good chance to *poof* once they entered the area.

Barring that, at the very least, the centre would have a ward around it, and a hefty one at that (most likely ritually cast). Inside there would be all sorts of Magical countermeasures as well including FAB, UV mist emitters, patrolling spirits, and at least two Initiate Mages with another on "astral call". All personnel entering would also be routinely subjected to an astral screening at the initial chokepoint through a direct fibre optic link (e.g. a built in version of Mage Sight Goggles) to the security centre.

@James: (on the topic of multiple nodes) My thoughts exactly especially if several of them are false leads. Of course these are still loaded with IC.

[Ravor]

Sure, the problem is that I'm having trouble imagining a manned Thor platform as being cost effective and the moment that you try to design an umanned platform then the old multiple key trick isn't nearly as effective anymore.