One of the things that I noticed was given such a small attention in matrix and rules are viruses and spam. Every day spam is getting more prevalent, and viruses are using more social engineering, but with things like SK's and agents, malicious programs could be much more dangerous, especially if they incorporate biofeedback or persona altering effects.
What other problems and malicious uses can you envision coming forth?
Full Version: Technology problems
Stalking and identiity theft will become a lot easier. If you're broadcasting your SIN that alone gives a lot of info, especially if you're unfortunate enough to live in a district with very liberal privacy laws.
Pedophiles would find walking around in an area where you're forced to broadcast your SIN impossible without risking a beatdown. Presumably modern registration laws would extend to having it tied to your SIN and broadcast wherever you go. And if a cop sees "pedophile" pop up over your head from his commlink's automated SIN filter but doesn't see you flying your "I'm a sex offeder" virtual flag you're screwed.
Pedophiles would find walking around in an area where you're forced to broadcast your SIN impossible without risking a beatdown. Presumably modern registration laws would extend to having it tied to your SIN and broadcast wherever you go. And if a cop sees "pedophile" pop up over your head from his commlink's automated SIN filter but doesn't see you flying your "I'm a sex offeder" virtual flag you're screwed.
I'm guessing that standard pockey secs come with some really good anti-spam software and anti-virus software.
For decks, there are worms, which are a virus of sorts.
You could have a smart frame or agent (probably not a SK) who roams the matrix, crashing people at random. That actually seems quite interesting.
In SR4, I'm assuming you can choose to turn off your SIN being broadcast, if not, it seems very stupid.
For decks, there are worms, which are a virus of sorts.
You could have a smart frame or agent (probably not a SK) who roams the matrix, crashing people at random. That actually seems quite interesting.
In SR4, I'm assuming you can choose to turn off your SIN being broadcast, if not, it seems very stupid.
You can choose to turn it off, but in some areas it's required (usually corp grounds and high security residential areas). There's probably also a law about registered sex offenders having to broadcast the information at all times, so if you're in a nonsecure area but randomly swept by a cop you're screwed.
I could see other people having to register as well, such as people convicted of magical crimes, especially those involving mind control and reading.
I could see other people having to register as well, such as people convicted of magical crimes, especially those involving mind control and reading.
Another point is the sheer speed/advancement of computer technology.
How many world-class deckers (Ie Computer 8+) would put up with non-stop spam?
Think on this one for a sec. Computers and their use is as fast as thought. Information transfer, while not instantanous, is pretty damn close. So what am I aiming at?
If they can hack into the deep dark hard reds and UV hosts of the world, I think it's be child's play for them to develop a few smart frames with trace-and-burn to lurk and flash-fry the fontal lobes of the kiddie-scripters and spammers.
Or at least BBQ the upload via the delivery pipe.
Remember, these guys regularly hack the SK Prime nodes for fun and profit - I could see the Smiling Bandit uploading a "Law-abiding" Pyschotrophic IC to a Spammer and a couple of the various decker "names" (Slam-o) organising unpleasant things to happen to the meat bodies of the spammers.
And since Faskjack is Chuck Norris, he doesn't get spam, spam gets Chuck Norrissed.
-Tir.
How many world-class deckers (Ie Computer 8+) would put up with non-stop spam?
Think on this one for a sec. Computers and their use is as fast as thought. Information transfer, while not instantanous, is pretty damn close. So what am I aiming at?
If they can hack into the deep dark hard reds and UV hosts of the world, I think it's be child's play for them to develop a few smart frames with trace-and-burn to lurk and flash-fry the fontal lobes of the kiddie-scripters and spammers.
Or at least BBQ the upload via the delivery pipe.
Remember, these guys regularly hack the SK Prime nodes for fun and profit - I could see the Smiling Bandit uploading a "Law-abiding" Pyschotrophic IC to a Spammer and a couple of the various decker "names" (Slam-o) organising unpleasant things to happen to the meat bodies of the spammers.
And since Faskjack is Chuck Norris, he doesn't get spam, spam gets Chuck Norrissed.
-Tir.
Think of Mr. Johnson's response to spam.
"I have a simple job for you, minimal complications. You're going to Russia. There's a problem I need dealt with, a message to be made to a certain community of lowlifes..."
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/0,3902036...39210800,00.htm
"I have a simple job for you, minimal complications. You're going to Russia. There's a problem I need dealt with, a message to be made to a certain community of lowlifes..."
http://news.zdnet.co.uk/internet/0,3902036...39210800,00.htm
| QUOTE (Tiralee) |
| Another point is the sheer speed/advancement of computer technology. How many world-class deckers (Ie Computer 8+) would put up with non-stop spam? Think on this one for a sec. Computers and their use is as fast as thought. Information transfer, while not instantanous, is pretty damn close. So what am I aiming at? If they can hack into the deep dark hard reds and UV hosts of the world, I think it's be child's play for them to develop a few smart frames with trace-and-burn to lurk and flash-fry the fontal lobes of the kiddie-scripters and spammers. Or at least BBQ the upload via the delivery pipe. Remember, these guys regularly hack the SK Prime nodes for fun and profit - I could see the Smiling Bandit uploading a "Law-abiding" Pyschotrophic IC to a Spammer and a couple of the various decker "names" (Slam-o) organising unpleasant things to happen to the meat bodies of the spammers. And since Faskjack is Chuck Norris, he doesn't get spam, spam gets Chuck Norrissed. -Tir. |
The same number of uber computer users today that put up with.
Part of the problem is that hackers with 8+ skills are writing these utilities for people for cash or for kicks. Sure there are tonnes of script kiddies out there that the smiling bandit or others could burn, but they appear at a faster rate than they get toasted.
Even the most uber hacker gets hit with some virus or exploit sooner or later, if you are using software it has holes. I have never heard of anyone, even the most l33t on slashdot claiming to never have been hit. Sure in general we all have safe habits but invariably something gets you when you least expect it. Now think of what you can so with a persona loop in there that wires all your money to a specific account. You let this fly for only 1 hour.... with this wonderful wireless world it zooms across the globe, hits several million people ... they all wire you money ... you hack the account, and transfer the money elsewhere and take off with your winnings. Imagine this at voting time of an election? you have a hidden worm that activates just before voting day, all of a sudden you have orchestrated a landslide victory.
| QUOTE |
| The same number of uber computer users today that put up with. Part of the problem is that hackers with 8+ skills are writing these utilities for people for cash or for kicks. Sure there are tonnes of script kiddies out there that the smiling bandit or others could burn, but they appear at a faster rate than they get toasted. |
Both yes and no on this one, in my opinion.
It's not simply slaving away at the keyboard, it's connecting yourself to the machine and ripping out something brilliant from you.
The best script kiddy efforts could maybe reach 4-5 on the program difficulty scale (Assume a minimum security rating of Green 8 ) which would be quite sufficient (10-25% chance) in ripping off user accounts and maybe scoring some free cred, but unless you can really get a decent programmer (Which, sadly, some of the RL spammers have got), time and a decent setup, your Nigerian mail scam won't even make it to the front door.
Sure, the kiddies are out there, with skills of 4-5 and maybe a 6 or more. But how many of them are going to actually spend the necessary time to program something that will sleeze past hostile IC? The programmers with a skill of 7 won't be wasting their time with this if they can spend 30 seconds online and walk away with
30K on their credstick. Since the Matrix is now the great equalizer, reading and writing not so important and everything a subjective icon, the script kiddies are, quite likely, kiddies.
If you were in middle school and offered an even :nuyen:1000 for something you could hand in as a school project AND only took you a couple of weeks to do, would you jump at it?
Sure, me too. And look for more.
It's "white collar" in that you're not-so-likely to be busted as if you were dealing drugs, but dirty enough to make a profit.
Hell, I'm assuming that a lot of the so-called "Matrix Gangs" churn out that drek for fun and beer-money when they're not off messing up low-security nodes.
-Interesting thought: What do the Okatu think of spam? I can't imagine anything much more dissonant than my spam inbox.
So yes, spam is there. So are burning-hot utilities designed to hunt-down and lobotomise the creators of the same. If Tar pit utilities can frag up ALL copies of a particular program on my deck, I can imagine a lot of someones going through their inbox, culling the spam, letting the tar pit-armed smartframes get a good sniff and then let them loose.
I'm sure, IRL, that if people had the chance to hurt the author/s of Spam, anonmyously, a small proportion, say 1/10000, would take the chance.
In Shadowrun terms, that's a lot of hunter-killer programs trolling for your particular brand of annoyance.
Rant off,
-Tir.
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