Ok, I've got a question I'm really hoping some one here can help me with. I'm confused by the whole wireless matrix, but I'm trying to learn.

Here's my question... I'm building a character with smartlink in his gun(s) and goggles. To do this I'm assuming this is accomplished by a wireless link. My issue is, what prevents the enemy hackers from intercepting that link, and say turning the character's flare comp on so he can't see... or intentionally causing the smartlink to fail? Or worse yet say taking control of a cyber-arm and turning a weapon onto an ally?

In SR3 it's very hard (if not impossable) to steal control of some one's gear because they aren't connected to the matrix, but now that everything is wireless, signals can be easily intercepted as far as I can tell... So is there any way to "hard wire" some thing with fiber optics or some thing along those lines? or some kind of independent network to operate on that is protected/isolated from outside sources?

Or does one just need to stock up on encryption, and IC programs and hope it's enough?

Any advice or help here would be most appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Well, you'd be well advised to spend 50 nuyen on a skinlink, which lets your commlink use the electrical signals of your skin to communicate with your cyberware. Then you set your ware to only accept signals from your commlink (ie, turn off the wireless feature)

That makes it pretty much impossible to hack those signals. The worst that could happen then is to have a hacker access your commlink and crash it or the like.

Without the skinlink, you're relying on Firewall, encryption, and similar methods to prevent hackers from rooting your eyes.

Awesome, thank you. ^_^

So wait, does cyberware require a commlink to act as the DNI now?

*rolls eyes* No, cyber comes with DNI.

Should we make a stickied thread about this? I swear, it pops up every week or so...

Note that as i understand it, you can STILL be hacked using skinlink, the hacker just jas to go through the commlink first.

Why? As long as the input device has the wireless function disabled and the commlink is switched off, how does the hacker get in?

no one said anything about having the commlink turned off. If your smarlink is talking directly with whatever vision mode you have it going to directly through the skinlink, then that would be unhackable.

...and if the commlink does NOT have the Imagelink that is connected to your Smartlink then they cannot hack either smartlink or imagelink.

Remember, they only have access to what the commlink is allowed to access, and that is controlled through your Persona, and the Persona cannot be hacked which means your subscription list cannot be hacked.

For AR security I'd suggest having two image links, one for smartlink and one for commlink, never have your commlink directly wired to your cybereyes because that way they CAN blind you.

unless, as has been suggested, you turn off the wireless function of your commlink and rely on skinlinking entirely.

of course, it's probably good to have a separate commlink explicitly for broadcasting needed information and whatnot, but as long as you don't plan on doing anything with it, it can be a cheap piece of junk.

on a side note, as i understand it you need a skinlink on everything you want to be skinlinked together. not just one on your commlink.

or you can go the lower tech route and just run a optic cable from the gun to goggles, it's cheaper and just as effective!

Even if you do not use skinlink or optic cable, a hacker needs to go through you commlink if it is set up with a subscription list. A case could be made that a hacker could spoof their commlink to emulate the commlink in charge of the network they want to hack, and bypass it that way. They would still have to hack it a first time to know what to emulate though.

that realy depends on how the security works.

if its based on some kind of public key encryption, so that communications from the comlink is id'd based on the keys used, then yes. if its something else then i would say maybe as you could potentialy sniff the id out of the traffic and then apply it.

still, unless the book says something else, those devices have a max range of 3 meters, so you have to be within that range to spoof them unless your going thru the comlink (and that one have a teoretical range of infinite as it talks matrix ).

Ok, let's not launch into another huge debate about encryption and how "broken" SR's encryption is compared to the real world.

Just think of it like this: deckers were (for the most part) a horrible pain to play in previous editions. To help make hackers/deckers more fun to play in 4th edition they made the following changes:
1. Every electronic device is wireless
2. Every electronic device can be hacked.

In 4th Ed *you are always vulnerable*. That is why is it so cruciall important to have a Hacker or Technomancer on your team. Just tell your GM that all of the devices on your PAN (your cyberware, smartlink, etc) only communicate to your 'Link. Then connect all of your team's Commlinks in a Private, Encrypted network with your Hacker/Technomancers Commlink as the only allowable "entry point". Basically, if some enemy Hacker wants to break in, they have to make it through your team's Hacker.

Check. Geek the hacker second.

Basically, yeah. In previous editions you always needed a Magician to handle all the "magic stuff" and now in 4th Edition you need a Hacker/Technomancer to handle all the "wireless stuff". I think this was the best thing that 4th Edition did for Shadowrun.

While I do understand the concept behind the skinlink, and why it's such a popular response to the 'wireless menace', I think it's been a bit overblown.

I really doubt your gun or your goggles have a Signal Rating above zero (3meters) so they would be rather difficult to hack (the link from the device to the commlink). Running hidden reduces the chance the hacker can find you to hack your commlink to begin with. And having a good OS and personal defense are required for day-to-day life.

Also, keep in mind that "running hidden" and "Turned off" are nowhere close to the same. And that running hidden in the wrong place will get people with guns called. Translation: the current SR rules strongly discourage turning off wireless altogether, and running hidden needs to be used carefully.

The hacker doesn't need to be within your device's signal rating. That's only required for two-way communication. If he's just trying to send commands, or he's full-VR hacking into your stuff, he only needs to be within HIS commlink's signal range.

At least, that's how I THINK it works.

in theory yes. hell, people irl have buildt antennas that allow them to pick up bluetooth devices (10 meter range normaly) from nearby buildings...

however, said antenna was the size of a rifle, and had to be aimed at the device more or less...

so yes, in theory one could be able to spoof a single signal that would force the gun to say eject the clip.

the basic "problem" right now with the SR4 matrix rules is that they are not detailed enough. hopefully unwired will cover a lot of that.

basicly the book (from what i understand, noone have posted a quote to say otherwise and i dont have the book) do not state that something like that can be done, but nor does it state that it cant be done...

If you use skinlinking/internal routing exclusivly, the only necessary security hole in your PAN is the comlink. Therefore it is wise to isolate the comlink. Any remote-controlled devices (if need be) link to the comlink.

Now how to make your comlink safe?
-maximum Firewall is mandatory
-good encryption of everything (just to annoy the attacker)
-System (and therefore Response) 4, better 5
-high analyse program to notice hacking attempts
-stealth program to make hidden mode meaningful
-Ice 3 loaded for combat (armor, attack, blackhammer, stealth all at 3)

Btw, can anyone tell me what "Electronic Warfare-Encryption Specialisation" is supposed to do?

...add +2 dice to encryption tasks?


What? I did not understand your question thoroughly? Please elaborate.

Cheers,

Max

Encryption is a simple action without test. Decryption runs against a threshold of double Encryption rating. Skill doesn´t factor in anywhere.

It's probably in there for when an expansion book comes out, much like "Martial Arts" probably is. We'll get rules for doing it later, it's *listed* now so they don't have to add it as a new specialization when the book comes out.

I always hated having "New Skill: Whatever" tucked away in a sourcebook. Makes me forget it exists.

Speaking of encryption, what about an agent set to constantly re-encrypt your gear?

Would make beating the encryption very hard all of a sudden, as anyone has now a single test to roll encryption*2 successes. Would likely only be encryption 3/4 due to response issues with the comlink, but still...