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ruvidan
Hello there. Hey, with SR3 I found the matrix to be so much info that I never bothered to learn how to run it. SR4 seems much more streamlined, so I'm attempting to give it a shot, and I've read the chapter 3 times, but I guess my question is still how to piece it all together. My bad about the simpleness of this question, I'm just trying to find out what order this all goes through.

So let's say I want to hack into someone's cyberarm and shut it off (provided that they are linked to the commlink). So I would have to hack his commlink, but to pick up the commlink I would enter VR/AR and then use the sniffer to find the hidden PAN? When does electronic warfare come into play? Would that be to directly link into the commlink outside of the matrix? Once I locate the hidden pan then I need the proper passkey or have to use the breaking in rules, right? And then once I am in his commlink with certain rights (as I broke in with), then it's as simple as issuing a command, is that right? Would there be very little difference between this and hacking into a security system and taking control of the cameras?

Hmm, so I suppose I'm still a little confused as to the initial "getting there". I see once you get in, what to do..but with electronic warfare, is this to pick up on commlink signals (or to jam them), then to decrypt it and then it goes to the rules of breaking in (if no passcode)?

Hey thanks for all the help all. smile.gif
RunnerPaul
I'd also suggest the (very long) hacking example thread. It's a good breakdown of how the ruleset works, and goes to the trouble to point out the major spots where the GM has to "wing it" due to the book being less than specific about certain situations.

I think there may be one or two minor errors in the first few posts, but if you read the whole thread, you'll see where they're corrected.
ruvidan
QUOTE (RunnerPaul)
I'd also suggest the (very long) hacking example thread. It's a good breakdown of how the ruleset works, and goes to the trouble to point out the major spots where the GM has to "wing it" due to the book being less than specific about certain situations.

I think there may be one or two minor errors in the first few posts, but if you read the whole thread, you'll see where they're corrected.

Right on, thanks man. Thanks for both of the links..I have been reading the first link for about 20 mins and while it has good information, I haven't yet hit an example of how this all comes together, but there are 19 pages to go through and I'm only on 4 heh! smile.gif I'll check out the second link too , this look great.. Thanks both of you.
Space Ghost
On a related note, why on earth would any shadowrunner leave the wireless capability of his cyberarm on? The answer might be "Shadowrunners don't" for all i know. i'm curious since hacking a cyberarm is mentioned more than once in the core book.

i'm currently playing in an arcology-based game where we work for a corp. i'm playing a full 'borg (4 limbs, skull and torso, eyes and ears) and i can't fathom why i would want my limbs to be hacked. i can see why the corp would want it, though. i can definitely understand the eyes and ears needing wi-fi. But never my limbs.
Abschalten
Think of it this way -- a full-body borg character can just turn all his limbs on, and then a Technomancer could just posess them and then dance around in their bones as if they were a loa.
Fix-it
the problem with fad-technologies like wireless is the fact that they built it into everything they can, because
WIRELESS=GOOD Oh Em GEE!.

yes, wise people and shadowrunners would turn most of thier wirless equiped devices off, because they really don't need the function (hence why most laptops nowdays have manual power switches for even built in wireless function.)

it COULD be nice though, assuming you get sev eral cyber-whatsits, and the only thing that has a wireless option is your arm it's better than spending more money/essence.

Azralon
QUOTE (Space Ghost)
On a related note, why on earth would any shadowrunner leave the wireless capability of his cyberarm on? The answer might be "Shadowrunners don't" for all i know.

Then you know enough. smile.gif

It's an old question and the answer always ends up as "Shadowrunners run their implants off of DNI and maaaaybe skinlink their carried gear."
mfb
i can't imagine why, either. maybe hacking the limbs via the DNI interface with the target's commlink would be better. though that's still beyond the pale, it's not quite as nuts as limbs with Matrix connections.
Azralon
I can imagine that the manufacturers have wifi enabled as default in cyberware so they can push out software/firmware updates as appropriate, relay automatic notifications of maintenence needs, and of course cooperate with nosy law enforcement agencies.

Spirits forbid that your cyberhand's BIOS would have an unpatched security vulnerability that can be exploited by evil haxx0rz! Registered cyber-clients should access their manufacturer's appropriate support node and download the update immediately. Thank you for choosing Aztechnology.
RunnerPaul
For most implants, I don't see anyone, shadowrunner or not, leaving the wireless functionality of their implants on outside of a clinic, and even then, they only turn it on at the request of the Doc/Technician who wants to download the diagnostics data, and then turn it immediately back off. Balance augmentation for example.

For a few implants, like say, someone using the sensory links such as image/sound/touch, because they don't want to get emotive-track simsense spam in their AR overlay, you do have to have connectivity with the outside world, but these devices would be used as part of a PAN, and would be protected by the hub commlink's firewall.

Where the wireless connectivity might end up coming into play is situations where an implant owner may be required to demonstrate to third parties that an implant is not in use. I can picture the following conversation at the receptionist's desk at the local yakuza-brothel-thinly-disguised-as-a-massage-parlor:

"Welcome to Osaka Spa! Our RFID reader and our cyberware scanner at the door have just notified me you have Chiba model z352 Cybereyes. To ensure privacy for both you and all of our customers, we do not permit functioning image recording devices past the reception area. We ask that you load this Agent program into your cybereyes; the Agent encrypts any image data saved into your cybereyes' memory, encrypts any links to other methods of data storage, and also runs a control program to lockdown your image recording features. You will also be required to wear this pair of glasses that will be in direct communication with the agent via your cybereyes' wifi. If the glasses do not receive confirmation that the agent's protections are still in place, or if the glasses detect an attempt to route the agent's datastream through another device, the glasses are programmed to black out and notify security. These measures allow us at Osaka Spa to provide you, the customer with an environment where you can relax and unwind in both privacy and comfort."
nick012000
QUOTE (RunnerPaul)
For most implants, I don't see anyone, shadowrunner or not, leaving the wireless functionality of their implants on outside of a clinic, and even then, they only turn it on at the request of the Doc/Technician who wants to download the diagnostics data, and then turn it immediately back off. Balance augmentation for example.

For a few implants, like say, someone using the sensory links such as image/sound/touch, because they don't want to get emotive-track simsense spam in their AR overlay, you do have to have connectivity with the outside world, but these devices would be used as part of a PAN, and would be protected by the hub commlink's firewall.

Where the wireless connectivity might end up coming into play is situations where an implant owner may be required to demonstrate to third parties that an implant is not in use. I can picture the following conversation at the receptionist's desk at the local yakuza-brothel-thinly-disguised-as-a-massage-parlor:

"Welcome to Osaka Spa! Our RFID reader and our cyberware scanner at the door have just notified me you have Chiba model z352 Cybereyes. To ensure privacy for both you and all of our customers, we do not permit functioning image recording devices past the reception area. We ask that you load this Agent program into your cybereyes; the Agent encrypts any image data saved into your cybereyes' memory, encrypts any links to other methods of data storage, and also runs a control program to lockdown your image recording features. You will also be required to wear this pair of glasses that will be in direct communication with the agent via your cybereyes' wifi. If the glasses do not receive confirmation that the agent's protections are still in place, or if the glasses detect an attempt to route the agent's datastream through another device, the glasses are programmed to black out and notify security. These measures allow us at Osaka Spa to provide you, the customer with an environment where you can relax and unwind in both privacy and comfort."

Not like that would help much when the hacker breaks out the Decrypt program. nyahnyah.gif
RunnerPaul
The encryption is just icing on the cake. The real deterent is the fact that the agent's running the Command program (which I goofed in my earlier post and called a control program) on the image recording subsystem. If you try to bypass the lockdown the Agent's command program is enforcing, it screams at the goggles, which go dark, and the goggles scream at security.

Encrypting any files created in the eyes' storage memory and encrypting the transfer paths to other storage is more for show than anything else.

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