Here is a question that has been hanging over me for a while, and with the release of Augmentation its come to the forefront again.
Essentially, hacking of (hacking by?) implanted cyberware.
RAW gives us the basics, that cyberware has a Device Rating (DR) according to grade:
(Note: I think we can assume however that most cyberware only has a signal rating of "0" regardless of DR)
Standard 3
Alpha 4
Beta 5
Delta 6
All fine, so far as it goes.
Here is the question, can you upgrade the non-physical elements of the cyberware - specifically the Firewall?
Can you have, for example, Standard cyberware (DR 3) but upgrade its Firewall to 5?
Related question - just exactly what can you actually run (program-wise) on cyberware?
Given these implants do have a DR (and thus, by definition, System and Response), what can be run on them?
All programs (eg. Analyse, Stealth, Exploit, and even IC/Agents) ?
Limited set of Programs ? (if so, which)
No programs ?
I am quite curious, because if any/all programs are fair-game for running on cyberware you can have the following instance:
Implanted Betaware (hot)SIM Module
Whereupon why bother with a commlink for a hacker? If any / all programs can be run on cyberware, then the Sim Module itself is working as a Rating 5 (arguably save for Signal) commlink for running your programs on (chain it through a transmitter/receiver for better Signal) and why bother with commlink vulnerability for a hacker ?
It seems that if all programs can run on any implanted cyberware, that commlinks (for hacking) are superfluous.
Have there been any rulings or even a consensus on this?
For me, my preferences are currently:
Firewall can be upgraded (Software upgrade involved, not hardware)
Cyberware has an inherent Analyse according to its innate DR.
Cyberware cannot otherwise be used to run programs off (aka - get a commlink).