Matrix what ..., Hacking Nabo's commlink in "On The Run Options

[codemonkey_uk]

I am currently prepping to run the adventure "On The Run".

Part of the background for the "WHO’S SELLING?" scene goes as follows:

"Since getting to talk to him directly is probably not going to happen since he’s surrounded by handlers, bodyguards, and his old gang, the team’s best bet is probably to hack his commlink and see if they can track the source of the email back to its originator. To do this, they’ll need to get into the (sold-out) concert, sneak back- stage, break into Nabo’s dressing room, and successfully hack his commlink to get the information they’re looking for, all without attracting the attention of Nabo’s security, bodyguards, handlers, and gang hangers-on."

Can anyone explain to me why close physical proximity to Nabo's commlink is required to hack it? I don't get it, and it's a pretty major scene in the adventure. Why can't the group hacker locate a device on the matrix, and hack it remotely?

Thanks

[Makki]

some ideas/interpretations:
-it's turned off
-it has a fingerprint scanner you need to override manually
-you cannot locate the commlink node without knowing it's location

[Sengir]

The commlink is configured to deny all data coming from the outside which has not been specifically requested by the commlink. Hacker lingo calls this "natted", although nobody is exactly sure were that term comes from. [/handwave]

[CanRay]

His commlink is one of the cheapest around and has a signal rating of 0?

[Stingray]

Commlink is skinlinked.

[sabs]

commlinks cannot be skinlinked.
Otherwise, they uh.. aren't commlinks.

[TommyTwoToes]

what edition was the adventure written for?

[Stingray]

commlinks cannot be skinlinked.
Otherwise, they uh.. aren't commlinks.

mention and rules of Skinlinked commlink can be found in Unwired ..so..they can be skinlinked..

[sabs]

mention and rules of Skinlinked commlink can be found in Unwired ..

Your right they can have the skinlink modification. But it's for allowing them to communicate with other skinlinked devices.

But given that a commlink is a cellphone, computer, and matrix access node all rolled into one. How exactly does it connect to the matrix if its connection is only skinlink. It would effectively only be able to talk to your other PAN devices and nothing else.

[Stingray]

Your right they can have the skinlink modification. But it's for allowing them to communicate with other skinlinked devices.

But given that a commlink is a cellphone, computer, and matrix access node all rolled into one. How exactly does it connect to the matrix if its connection is only skinlink. It would effectively only be able to talk to your other PAN devices and nothing else.

..if i can remember correctly,you can turn off skinlink-only user mod. and making it "normal" commlink and still
having security of skinlinked commlink..

[sabs]

..if i can remember correctly,you can turn off skinlink-only user mod. and making it "normal" commlink and still
having security of skinlinked commlink..

That doesn't really make sense.
If it's accessing the matrix, I can hack into it as a hacker (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

[Prime Mover]

He shut off his comm, room is a faraday cage, short range jammer nearby...etc
"When all else fails rationalize."

[hobgoblin]

Commlink is skinlinked.

This seems to be the most common confusion related to theSR4 matrix rules. Skinlink do not deal with the comlink to matrix connection, only with the comlink to smartgun or similar connection. Still, i cant blame people, as the rules seems to have been written for network engineers that can "disconnect" the specifics of real life networking from the concepts that SR4 is borrowing (and by some accounts, mutilates).

[codemonkey_uk]

what edition was the adventure written for?

4th edition.

It really a poorly explained plot device IMHO but I'm still not familiar enough with rules and setting yet as GM to make my own adventures for the group.

I think I'm going to go with: Nabo is an ex-gangster, which means he's still in the habit of frequently replacing his commlink, since he does't really use it very much, and is surrounded by lackies, it'll be really hard (impossible) to track down which is his remotely ... except he always leaves it in his dressing room when he performs. Thus: the only way to identify which is his is to find the one in that room. With so many devices active at a rock concert, the only way to pinpoint it is to be in the room with it.

(IMG:style_emoticons/default/ohplease.gif)

[TommyTwoToes]

This seems to be the most common confusion related to theSR4 matrix rules. Skinlink do not deal with the comlink to matrix connection, only with the comlink to smartgun or similar connection. Still, i cant blame people, as the rules seems to have been written for network engineers that can "disconnect" the specifics of real life networking from the concepts that SR4 is borrowing (and by some accounts, mutilates).

Maybe Admin accounts require a skinlinked connection.

[Trevalier]

He's a pop star preparing for a concert. If he doesn't have the commlink turned off, it probably bugs him nonstop; in his place, I would only turn it on when I specifically needed it for something--and that something would have to be something I wasn't willing to trust my flunkies with, or I'd just have them do it.

When my group went through the run, the GM told us the link was powered down, and we'd need physical access to bring it up and dump the data. I suppose if we'd been willing to wait, he would have eventually turned it back on, and the TM could have gone after it. The GM put us under enough time pressure to incline us toward the riskier-but-quicker plan. I don't know if the time pressure was written into the mission or not, but it makes sense. The McGuffin could change hands at any time (by sale or by theft); depending on how it happened, the trail could be broken, leaving us with no leads and a failed mission.

[Yerameyahu]

I assume 'natted' derives from NAT, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Network_address_translation .

Simple answer: In terms of SR4, you can scan *locally* for hidden nodes; you can point at a guy and say, I check for his hidden mode commlink. You can't do that from across the country, only across the room. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) If you don't know the address of a node somewhere on the vast Matrix, you can't just say, 'I find Joe-Bob's commlink to hack'.

[CanRay]

He's a pop star preparing for a concert. If he doesn't have the commlink turned off, it probably bugs him nonstop; in his place, I would only turn it on when I specifically needed it for something...

Or you're the lead singer for the "Heavy Metal" group, Kabbage Boy.

[sabs]

Or you're the lead singer for the "Heavy Metal" group, Kabbage Boy.

Except isn't his commlink used to control his voice implants? or to communicate with the fireworks display so they fire off properly as he walks by them?

Isn't the rest of his pan still slaved to the damn thing?

[Dumori]

He could easily have multiple links. One for dayil use and an other one that he's got turned off with the paydata on it. Hell it makes sense and give you TM a false lead to scout. A good TM should get in is on com and find something that hints to the secondary com fairly quickly hell he could have had the signal burnt from his back up com or set it so it won't send data out so can can pick up traffic goign to it. That wont really work for a runner or any one that needs to use the com though as you can't use it with the matrix though you could still get text messages and such.

[Ascalaphus]

Turned off because it bugs him during concerts makes sense. It also satisfies the plot demand of it being in a tricky place to get to. If this guy is paranoid, turning it off is one of the things he might try.

Simple answer: In terms of SR4, you can scan *locally* for hidden nodes; you can point at a guy and say, I check for his hidden mode commlink. You can't do that from across the country, only across the room. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) If you don't know the address of a node somewhere on the vast Matrix, you can't just say, 'I find Joe-Bob's commlink to hack'.

They never seem to go into detail about the real constraints of this. Me, I play an overwatch style hacker, when I want to spot commlinks I have a drone or another PC wave the radio signal scanner around wherever they are and I process the readings.

[Redcrow]

When I ran that adventure I just informed the group that his comm was off.

Even if it was turned on how would you be able to figure out which specific comm belonged to Nabo out of all the comms at the concert. Unless of course you just start randomly hacking until you find the right one.

[CanRay]

"No... No... No... Ew, where's the brain bleach!" "Never mind that, keep going." "Now I know how the Mage feels. No... No... No..."

[Yerameyahu]

Ascalaphus, same thing. Your drone points at the guy and says 'I Detect Hidden Nodes'. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif) Oddly, a Radio Signal Scanner can't do this; it's a Sniffer program, not a Scan program. This must be an error, because it contradicts the fluff. :/ It's not really clear what the RSS actually *can* do, by the rules. Sniffer is used for Capture and Intercept Traffic, so maybe it can do that.

[Tymeaus Jalynsfe...]

That doesn't really make sense.
If it's accessing the matrix, I can hack into it as a hacker (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wink.gif)

But if it isn't, then you need other options. Signal could be shut down UNLESS he is actively using the comlink to access the matrix... So when would that be exactly? Can you tell me that one? (IMG:style_emoticons/default/wobble.gif)

There are so many varaibles that no single reason should be excluded...