Cyberware scanners, How good are they Options

[BRodda]

I'm trying to find info on cyberware scanners and how they can be defeated and what kind of details they provide. for example can they be fooled to think that a Move by Wire system is just a set of skill wires? Can they tell that I have cybereyes or can they spot that laser target designation system? Are there "grades" of scanners and how hard are they to trick?

In short where are the rules for them, because I've looked through all my books and I can find squat about them. Not sure how common they are either; I picture them only at the places that we have metal detectors now and MAD system are as common as theft deterrent systems no a days.

[Oenone]

You're probably in need of pages 254 to 255 of the BBB, which is where scanners are detailed in game mechanic terms.

[BRodda]

You're probably in need of pages 254 to 255 of the BBB, which is where scanners are detailed in game mechanic terms.

It has the rules, but thier not fleshed out to well. Is there any way to defeat them or have the scanner miss read. Also it looks like it needs more successes to get more data, but it doesn't give any numbers or examples.

[masterofm]

There are various spells that can fool cyberware scanners, that is about it though considering how vague the rules are. Physical mask would do it.

[Oenone]

In Runners Companion there's a few gadgets which will disable a MAD Scanner.

The only real non-magic way around the scanners aside from that are hacking or shielded smuggling compartments.

Edit In terms of the examples and thresholds it gives the examples in the table in the middle of page 254.

[BRodda]

In Runners Companion there's a few gadgets which will disable a MAD Scanner.

The only real non-magic way around the scanners aside from that are hacking or shielded smuggling compartments.

Edit In terms of the examples and thresholds it gives the examples in the table in the middle of page 254.

See thats the question. There are TONS of details and gear for MAD systems, but none on cyberware scanners. MAD will just say if there is metal, cyberware scanners can tell the people that you have cyber and what type. Like my original question, how good does a cyberware scanner ahve to be to detect the diffrence between a move by wire and skill wire systems. They both work in the same way (hell MbW are skillwires). Not sure how you can spoof a cyberware scanner. and I doubt that they are somethign that people can just hack.

[Rehlor]

See thats the question. There are TONS of details and gear for MAD systems, but none on cyberware scanners. MAD will just say if there is metal, cyberware scanners can tell the people that you have cyber and what type. Like my original question, how good does a cyberware scanner ahve to be to detect the diffrence between a move by wire and skill wire systems. They both work in the same way (hell MbW are skillwires). Not sure how you can spoof a cyberware scanner. and I doubt that they are somethign that people can just hack.

Why wouldn't you be able to hack it? Nearly everything is WiFi, and a device like this has very obvious reasons to be connected to other nodes, so there's no reason it wouldn't be. Hack in, sic an Agent with Edit on it, and Bob's your uncle. I don't see the problem.

[BRodda]

Why wouldn't you be able to hack it? Nearly everything is WiFi, and a device like this has very obvious reasons to be connected to other nodes, so there's no reason it wouldn't be. Hack in, sic an Agent with Edit on it, and Bob's your uncle. I don't see the problem.

Something like that has to be pretty far in on a secure node with the rest of building security. Doubt that it would be wireless unless its handheld. It would be to big a whole in your security grid. I'd guess them to be hardwired in the same manner that maglocks and cameras are if corps had a brain cell.

Nevermind airport security.

[Rehlor]

Maybe at someplace with centralized security, sure, but there are plenty of places that are going to have MAD/Cyber scanners that aren't going to invest in a full blown security system with in-house rigger.

But let's assume it's slaved to a secure node, hardwired, and that node is buried behind miles of WiFi-proof wallpaper and hundreds of armed guards. You still have plenty of options with only a little creativity. First option is to simply hack a guard's PAN, steal his password to the central node. Once in the central node, hack the scanner with it's virtually non-existent firewall. Edit.

No good? GM decided that the security forces are ultra-competent and are 100% wired only? Wireless enabling nanites on the scanner. Or on a guards PAN. Or sneak into the guards house and modify his commlink by hand. Infiltrate the corp that does maintenance work for the scanner and load a backdoor.

Still no good? Dozens and dozens of black IC and a GM who obviously is telling you that playing a hacker was pointless? Bribe someone. Blackmail a guard. Take a guard's mother hostage.

If none of this seems like it has any chance of working to you, then I suggest you play Shadowrun instead of whatever game you've been playing.

[Oenone]

My understanding of the rules is that it's an either or thing and it doesn't matter what rating the system is providing it can get enough successes to beat the threshold.

Either it knows what cyberware you're packing or it doesn't. From what I remember the system is described as comparing to a database and matching up what it scans from you with the files. Which means the better the rating the more detail the scanner picks up and the better the records it compares to. Of course if you have some kind of rare cyberware then it's reasonable to apply a penalty for the scanner, depending on your / your GM's view.

So it won't get confused between a MBW system and skillwires unless someone has hacked it before hand or the device succeeds but also gets enough 1's to glitch.

Don't forget that you don't always need to avoid being scanned providing you've invested in some good quality fake licences for your equipment.

[BRodda]

Maybe at someplace with centralized security, sure, but there are plenty of places that are going to have MAD/Cyber scanners that aren't going to invest in a full blown security system with in-house rigger.

But let's assume it's slaved to a secure node, hardwired, and that node is buried behind miles of WiFi-proof wallpaper and hundreds of armed guards. You still have plenty of options with only a little creativity. First option is to simply hack a guard's PAN, steal his password to the central node. Once in the central node, hack the scanner with it's virtually non-existent firewall. Edit.

No good? GM decided that the security forces are ultra-competent and are 100% wired only? Wireless enabling nanites on the scanner. Or on a guards PAN. Or sneak into the guards house and modify his commlink by hand. Infiltrate the corp that does maintenance work for the scanner and load a backdoor.

Still no good? Dozens and dozens of black IC and a GM who obviously is telling you that playing a hacker was pointless? Bribe someone. Blackmail a guard. Take a guard's mother hostage.

If none of this seems like it has any chance of working to you, then I suggest you play Shadowrun instead of whatever game you've been playing.

I'm talking more about instalations than just random scanners. Full corp security type places rather than just the local mall. Still I'm working on an cybered up infiltation guy and its hard to figure on how Bob from accounting needs a MbW system. I've got him geared up so that he doesn't have anything blatantly illegal on him, but someone with 5.8 essence worth of cyber and bio will set off alarms no matter how good he is with everything else. Sounds like I'll have to find the poitns to make him a better Hacker or at least make sure that if I get to play him that the team has a hacker that can deal with the cyberware scanners. The MAD aren't a problem, nothing he has will set that or the chem sniffers off.

[Oenone]

If you're talking about installations then there are /always/ ways around the scanners.

Windows are highly unlikely to be packing cyberware scanners. Same with the crawl spaces in the ceiling or under the floor.

If being subtle is your intention then Bioware is pretty much ideal for getting around a cyberware scanner. It also has the advantage of leaving you with a higher essence score, which is always good. Especially if your GM is prone to throw drugs and chemicals at you.