Hacking the Street Samurai Options

[3278]

The matrix, by RAW, is so messed up that any question pertaining to it can't be responded to with anything other than sensible house rules.

Sure, okay.

By RAW a matrix node can be made 100% impenetrable by using a nexus and 32+ Agents defending it.
Which means: can you use a cyberlimb as a nexi element, and run an agent on it? By RAW you can use toasters, so why not?

Well, not to bring up those pesky rules you don't like, but:

Most nexi are the size of a desktop computer tower or larger—too large to carry comfortably in place of a commlink, but possible to pull on a cart, load onto a drone, or carry in a vehicle.

The servers that run nexi come in a wide range of sizes and processor power, from units the size of a modern-day laptop to a full-blown server tower. The more processor power needed, the more powerful and thus bigger the hardware of the nexus will be.

The smallest nexus in Unwired has a Processor Limit of 10 and a Response of 2, so - beyond the incredible expense - I would probably rule that no, you can't run 32+ agents on a nexus that would fit in a cyberlimb.

That said, I find the loophole fascinating: how is a nexus with 32+ agents 100 percent impenetrable? Could you give me some more details?

[Draco18s]

That said, I find the loophole fascinating: how is a nexus with 32+ agents 100 percent impenetrable? Could you give me some more details?

I might be using the wrong word, but there's a way to cluster matrix devices such that you combine their power. A cyberlimb is only adding its processing value to a total, which might not be much by itself, but enough limbs (and a comlink) and you get up to a total response rating of 20 or better. Then, the entire cluster is treated as a single node, and with 30 agents running in a node (tasked to defend the node) it's impossible to get into the node, due to dice pool disadvantage (the node gets 6+ dice against you 30 times--what are the odds that one or more agents meets or beats your stealth rating?).

[Cthulhudreams]

You just use AR to log into all your devices, load an agent onto all of them, move the persona into your 'front facing' equipment in advance, and order the agent to attack anything that comes into the 'front facing' node that isn't supposed to be there.

It's pretty much unhackable.

[Ryu]

You just use AR to log into all your devices, load an agent onto all of them, move the persona into your 'front facing' equipment in advance, and order the agent to attack anything that comes into the 'front facing' node that isn't supposed to be there.

It's pretty much unhackable.

What advantage do multiple front-facing nodes have over the commlink being the only node connecting to the matrix (directly)?

[Pollution]

If you were actually concerned about this scenaro (personally if a medtech feels they need to take a bonesaw to my ribs the last thing i care about is them damaging my internal air tank)

Erm, if they damage your internal air tank (for example) you blow up. Ever seen a pressurized tank of gas get ruptured? It's ugly. And that Internal Air Tank is INSIDE YOU. "Saw..." "oops..." "BANG!"


The major point to my post isn't so much the reasoning behind the wireless links, those are RAW and by the devs, therefore, if you want to change them make a houserule. If you are using mainly RAW, then my post stands.

The cost/danger of moding your central nervous system is far too expensive/dangerous for EVERY street sam to be able to accomplish. Read the first few stories in the books. Runners are POOR (in cannon). The only reason they have Y100,000 mods is because without them they'd be dead. Once you have your 100,00 cyber, it's going to be REALLY hard to get the scratch together to have it modded.

Just have your team's hacker/TM protect your groups combined PAN and you save thousands on security, and years of life-expectancy. Seriously, if your contact or team mate is modding your ware and make a mistake, best case scenario you're out some fancy MbW. Worst case? You're a vegetable.

[Kumo]

That means that EVERY cyber that would have a wireless link (aka everything other than dermal plating or whatever) HAS a wireless link. End of story. YES, you CAN turn it off, but doing so requires a few special things:

1) The skills to do it yourself without frying your central nervous system when you mod your own MbW.
2) A REALLY good friend with the skills to do it without killing you in the process and who you TRUST can do it without killing you in the process.
3) A talented team mate who's willing to do it for you who you can trust not to either
A) Fry your central nervous system
B) Leave a backdoor for themselves to easily ice your ass when you betray them/they betray you
C) Sell the access codes to your internal Air Tank to an opposing SR team so they can blow your ass up like a balloon
4) If you've got a talented team mate who you can trust and who can do the job, there's that silly COST to worry about (few runners will sell their services to a Johnson but then give them away to team mates just cause).
5) Enough dough to hire a talented Hacker/TM who can do it for you, and the connections to find one who's trustworthy.
6) The flat out CASH to have customized ware built for you when you get your shiny new implants and have them set the way you want them for security when you buy them. Meaning
A) They're now probably Delta grade ware.
B) They cost a TON more thanks to specific modifications and optimizations you want installed.
C) When you get shot in the back during a run and your MbW III Delta Customized ware is damage, you're going to shell out 10x more than you normally would to get it fixed, oh, and you're harder to treat thanks to your insane level of paranoia having the MEDICAL INTERFACE TURNED OFF

Now, that being said, YES, you can go and have your gear secured by not having a wireless connection. You've spent yourself a TON more cash to do it, but, HEY, you're secure, right?

Now, the SMART runner would simply have the hacker they're working with maintain security on your groups PAN (you're running TacSoft anyway, so he SHOULD be doing that already). Have him load some optimized IC on each of your commlinks (only need one copy of the IC, and copy it to everyone) and put a few Data Bombs in the access areas for your cyber-signals and you're done.

See, shutting OFF the cyber's wireless signal is both expensive and dangerous. Having your team's hacker PROTECT the team's cyber is FREE and SAFE.

BBB (p. 304) says that there is no problem with purchasing any gear without wireless option, "though it may get you some funny looks". And that every "device's wireless capability can be turned off with
a simple command". It just has to be manually turned on later (but with DNI or skinlink it should be able to switch on with mental command, I think). So it is not expensive or dangerous in any way.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

I might be using the wrong word, but there's a way to cluster matrix devices such that you combine their power. A cyberlimb is only adding its processing value to a total, which might not be much by itself, but enough limbs (and a comlink) and you get up to a total response rating of 20 or better. Then, the entire cluster is treated as a single node, and with 30 agents running in a node (tasked to defend the node) it's impossible to get into the node, due to dice pool disadvantage (the node gets 6+ dice against you 30 times--what are the odds that one or more agents meets or beats your stealth rating?).

But in the long run, Clusters are averaged across the components except for Signal and available persona/program limits... stats are still the same (100 devices at device rating 4, still gains you a device rating 4 cluster, though you now have additional space for Persona limits and program limits prior to degradation), you never have a response on a cluster equal to 20+... However, if you are willing to create such a piece of hardware (seeing as how a Rating 10 Response Chip is so bleeding edge that they need transfusions just to keep it functional) I would imagine that the R&D department that you are working for would be greatly appreciative of your work...


What are the odds that those 32 Agents are going to detect the Technomancer with the Threaded rating 12 stealth? Miniscule at best in my experience with our current technomancer... closest anyone has come is within 3 of the target, and that was a hyperspecialized Spider (with more dice than any Agent throws) on a VERY TOUGH AAA Megacorporate Security Node..

Keep the Faith

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

You just use AR to log into all your devices, load an agent onto all of them, move the persona into your 'front facing' equipment in advance, and order the agent to attack anything that comes into the 'front facing' node that isn't supposed to be there.

It's pretty much unhackable.

No it is not, it is just a very effective speed bump to the highly dedicated hacker... may take some time, but it can be hacked... and don't forget, the agent/IC still needs to detect any intruders that enter the node... not always an easy prospect with professional hackers/Technomancers...

Keep the Faith

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

BBB (p. 304) says that there is no problem with purchasing any gear without wireless option, "though it may get you some funny looks". And that every "device's wireless capability can be turned off with
a simple command". It just has to be manually turned on later (but with DNI or skinlink it should be able to switch on with mental command, I think). So it is not expensive or dangerous in any way.

This.... Have a nice Day


Keep the Faith

[Draco18s]

Erm, if they damage your internal air tank (for example) you blow up. Ever seen a pressurized tank of gas get ruptured? It's ugly. And that Internal Air Tank is INSIDE YOU. "Saw..." "oops..." "BANG!"

Two words:
Cyberware
Scanner

What medtech doesn't have one?

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Two words:
Cyberware
Scanner

What medtech doesn't have one?

Yeah, that is what I was thinking too...

Keep the Faith

[Orcus Blackweath...]

Two points:

Nothing is unhackable.
If you are in public you are withing 3 meters of a wireless node.


You can make things difficult or time consuming to hack, but if it has a legitimate interface (skinlink and dni count for this purpose), then there is a method of hacking into it. The matrix is an all pervasive mesh with a cluster density measured in feet everywhere people congregate. Additionally, the annoying insect-like drones capable of patching into your skinlinked cybertorso are all but invisible. Having a very low signal rating saves you very little.

[Cthulhudreams]

What advantage do multiple front-facing nodes have over the commlink being the only node connecting to the matrix (directly)?

No, I'm suggesting 1 single front facing node, with dozens of persona's from all your other gear in it. hese can all support Agents.

Then you load 50 billion joke programs into the node, get your Agents to render them, then connect to the internet.

When a hacker logs in, he has to spend quite awhile actually rendering the node, but your guys have to render 1 new icon then beat the tar out of him by launching massive black hammer assaults.

[Ryu]

How do you deal with the subscription limit?

[Cthulhudreams]

I'm not sure how that impacts anything.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Two points:

Nothing is unhackable.
If you are in public you are withing 3 meters of a wireless node.


You can make things difficult or time consuming to hack, but if it has a legitimate interface (skinlink and dni count for this purpose), then there is a method of hacking into it. The matrix is an all pervasive mesh with a cluster density measured in feet everywhere people congregate. Additionally, the annoying insect-like drones capable of patching into your skinlinked cybertorso are all but invisible. Having a very low signal rating saves you very little.

You cannot hack skinlinked devices with no signal unless you are in contact with your target... that is what makes skinlink so useful, it is unhackable (assuming that you have no signal beyond the skinlink, which is not a reasonable assumption if there is a functioning comlink with an operating signal)...

But other than that, yes, if you have an operating signal, then you can be hacked...

Keep the Faith Orcus... See ya on Friday Night

[Trench]

We are all being way too paranoid. Lets listen to the hacker and enable wireless! Also, Im selling a used armor jacket with part of the chest blown out. What are the chances someone will actually aim for the heart?

[Rotbart van Dain...]

(skinlink and dni count for this purpose)

DNI is not a network interface, though cyberware can be internally hardwired.

[Ravor]

Also I don't buy the entire free-for-all mesh network bullshit, set your devices to not talk with some random mesh and instead use the wireless routers we've been told are bolted everywhere WHEN you want to actually connect with anything.

And of course, disable your wireless except for a 'jack ( Yes, Unwired has that stupid rule, but it doesn't make sense so I'll continue happily ignoring it. ) then only subscribe your cyber to your 'jack when you want to update your software.


Oh, and never, ever trust the team's Decker with your cyber security, I mean do you also ask the team's gunbunny to clean and load your firearms?

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Also I don't buy the entire free-for-all mesh network bullshit, set your devices to not talk with some random mesh and instead use the wireless routers we've been told are bolted everywhere WHEN you want to actually connect with anything.

And of course, disable your wireless except for a 'jack ( Yes, Unwired has that stupid rule, but it doesn't make sense so I'll continue happily ignoring it. ) then only subscribe your cyber to your 'jack when you want to update your software.


Oh, and never, ever trust the team's Decker with your cyber security, I mean do you also ask the team's gunbunny to clean and load your firearms?

Wow... A little Bitter there Ravor...

No Worries, there are always lots of options to choose from...

Keep the Faith

[Ravor]

What can I say, I'm cycinal by nature and my choice of RPGs probably aren't the "most healthy" for my personality. To speak nothing of my choice in girlfriends and exspouse. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cyber.gif)

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

What can I say, I'm cycinal by nature and my choice of RPGs probably aren't the "most healthy" for my personality. To speak nothing of my choice in girlfriends and exspouse. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cyber.gif)

Life Happens... I understand somewhat I quess...
Besides, Cynical is not a bad thing...

Keep the Faith

[Ravor]

*chuckles* That is what the voices in my head keep telling the nice young men in clean white coats. Doesn't seem to help though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/silly.gif)


Seriously though, I think tis time for me to head into town and flirt with a certain pretty young lady for a bit and see if ya'll can get mellow Ravor back for a little while. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cyber.gif)

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

*chuckles* That is what the voices in my head keep telling the nice young men in clean white coats. Doesn't seem to help though. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/silly.gif)


Seriously though, I think tis time for me to head into town and flirt with a certain pretty young lady for a bit and see if ya'll can get mellow Ravor back for a little while. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/cyber.gif)

Good Luck and Talk to ya later...

Keep the Faith

[Ravor]

Thanks, and oh yeah, I can most definently get used to being mellow Ravor, good women are hard to find, and good women who don't mind the fact that you've got custody of young children, even harder. Man I think I hit the fragging lottery, maybe...