High-End Computer Networks Options

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Except for Dynamic Encryption
which.. does exactly that.. sorta.

Sort of... but it is different, because you cannot keep Dynamically encrypting in my opinion. You get your roll to increase the threshold. Eventually, your Hacker WILL gain access... the benefits to Dynamic Encryption is that it increases the time that it takes the Hacker to gain access (Because you already know someone is attempting to penetrate your system), thus providing the system with the time to bring other security measures to its defense.

Besides, Dynamic Encryption is not compatible with Strong Encryption, which is my preferred method (Along with Dramatic Encryption when appropriate, Page 66, Unwired) of securing a system. Even with a 1 Minute, Strong Encryption method, you have effectively stymied your hacker... increasing the interval much beyond the Minute range effectively removes Hacking-on-site as a viable alternative (relegating it to the Decking Schemes of earlier editions) unless you have employed some form of Social Networking to obtain a valid passcode into the system.

[Simon Kerimov]

You cannot change encryption every round and have that matter. What you are describing is no different than a time-varying cipher, as Alice and Bob must still have some way to knowing which encryption is being used for the next time window. They are either using a 1-time pad, which is unbreakable (by SR rules), but requires a database on either side that was synced up ahead of time, or using a pattern to generate the next cipher. Adding a single layer of time dynamism on top of a time-varying cipher doesn't really matter.

Isn't encryption in SR4A too weak? Even the strongest encryption doesn't take a hacker with a decent Decrypt program very long to break.

Real-world encryption comes in basic two varieties: unbreakable encryption that is somewhat time-consuming to create and implement (one-time pads) and pseudorandom ciphers and encryption schemes that aren't completely unbreakable but can implemented really fast with computers. One-time pads still exist in Shadowrun but the relative difficulty of generating and using them correctly precludes their general use, so the opposing forces of encryption and decryption focus on developing more sophisticated algorithms and analysis techniques. Currently in SR4A, decryption is winning.

A further analysis of encryption and some optional rules for harder encryption can be found on pp. 65-67, Unwired.

The book fails to mention it.

[Yerameyahu]

Um, what?

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

Um, what?

Yeah, Not sure what he is talking about myself... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

[Pat]

Yeah, I've seen mention of 1 time pads in other threads about encryption, and I understand their RL application. But I have yet to see SR rules on them, at least in SR4(A).

[Yerameyahu]

I'm not sure, but maybe Simon is (foolishly) talking about reality, instead of the game. In the game, you have Strong, Dramatic, and Dynamic Encryption options, and they function exactly as stipulated in the rules. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) 'Makes sense' or 'works that way' don't enter into it.

[Pat]

"They are either using a 1-time pad, which is unbreakable (by SR rules)"

Well, he says by SR rules, so it seems he believes there is some sort of game reference.

[Simon Kerimov]

It's a game rule if you accept that the FAQ counts as cannon. And if you are willing to take the phrase "One-time pads still exist in Shadowrun but the relative difficulty of generating and using them correctly precludes their general use" to mean that you can make a 1 time pad.

Or was the confusing bit my statement on cryptography? Alice, Bob, and Eve are the names of three interests used in crypto theory to illustrate concepts. Usually Alice and Bob are talking and Eve is trying to listen in on the conversation. The time-varying cipher is a crypto system where the two people communicating, Alice and Bob, continually switch through different ciphers for different blocks of communication. Decryption then becomes a game of guessing the pattern they are using to switch between ciphers, and then break those ciphers. This is exactly what the Enigma Code was based on.

[Ascalaphus]

You can't re-encrypt something that is encrypted (At least in Shadowrun anyways), which is where they are coming from.
Not that big of a deal, really... (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

It IS rather silly. Encryption shouldn't care about the data to be encrypted; why should it matter if you're encrypting encrypted data?

Also, why can't you just drop encryption scheme 1 and go on with 2? If it's possible to encrypt something while it's running, it should also be possible to disengage encryption again. (I have trouble with encrypting a running node. That seems dubious.)

[Wasabi]

Cryptosense modules can impose a -1 penalty on decryption for what thats worth. they are bypassed using a reality filter but can hinder the reality filter from loading perhaps also at -1.

[Yerameyahu]

No, I just didn't understand *why* you were saying what you were saying. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I got to the end and went, 'Um, what?'. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Whether or not the FAQ is 'cannon', a fluff phrase about how one-time pads *aren't* used doesn't mean that they exist in the rules, that's all.

[sabs]

It IS rather silly. Encryption shouldn't care about the data to be encrypted; why should it matter if you're encrypting encrypted data?

Also, why can't you just drop encryption scheme 1 and go on with 2? If it's possible to encrypt something while it's running, it should also be possible to disengage encryption again. (I have trouble with encrypting a running node. That seems dubious.)

True Crypt will encrypt a running node.. sorta, and that's today's technology.
But it takes a while, and really all it's encrypting is the data written to storage. Everything else in the system is not encrypted. Including what's written to memory. But then again we're doing that whole real life thing.

I'm okay with the idea that encrypting a whole node is part of the boot up process and takes a while.

[Simon Kerimov]

No, I just didn't understand *why* you were saying what you were saying. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) I got to the end and went, 'Um, what?'. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/biggrin.gif) Whether or not the FAQ is 'cannon', a fluff phrase about how one-time pads *aren't* used doesn't mean that they exist in the rules, that's all.

Aren't used, but exist. But I get kicked in the head by my GM regularly for trying to push arguments like that, so I guess I'm outvoted by the boot.

[Pat]

Cannon or not, a single line in fluff does not equate to "unbreakable (by SR rules)"
There are, in fact, NO SR rules for 1 time pads, if this is the only reference.

[Simon Kerimov]

Cannon or not, a single line in fluff does not equate to "unbreakable (by SR rules)"
There are, in fact, NO SR rules for 1 time pads, if this is the only reference.

I concede that I am wrong.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

It's a game rule if you accept that the FAQ counts as cannon. And if you are willing to take the phrase "One-time pads still exist in Shadowrun but the relative difficulty of generating and using them correctly precludes their general use" to mean that you can make a 1 time pad.

Or was the confusing bit my statement on cryptography? Alice, Bob, and Eve are the names of three interests used in crypto theory to illustrate concepts. Usually Alice and Bob are talking and Eve is trying to listen in on the conversation. The time-varying cipher is a crypto system where the two people communicating, Alice and Bob, continually switch through different ciphers for different blocks of communication. Decryption then becomes a game of guessing the pattern they are using to switch between ciphers, and then break those ciphers. This is exactly what the Enigma Code was based on.

I believe that what you are trying to reference is the rules for Dramatic Encryption... they are in Unwired...

[Yerameyahu]

Totally; Dramatic Encryption covers that very nicely. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

[Pat]

I concede that I am wrong.

Well then, YOU sir, gain my respect for having the humility and the courage to actually say that.

(No sarcasm intended)

[sabs]

Totally; Dramatic Encryption covers that very nicely. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)

Didn't I mention that t the beginning of this page (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)
Sheesh