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klinktastic
I'm still pretty new to the hacking thing, but I have a street sam and I want to make sure he, his commlink, and his cyber accessories are safe from any external intrusion. I know that firewall 6 and encryption 6 are musts. I have electronics skill group, so I could make sure my cyber is clustered as a DNI to my commlink, protected by strong encryption, making it very hard to hack on the fly. Is there some simple agent programs that could be run to help prevent hacking as well? Also, what programs are needed and what can I do without? Should I even take any hacking programs? Or is it better to invest in a good IC program for defense?
sabs
What cyber do you have? Because that will help.

if you have no eye/ear cyber then I would recommend having 2 commlinks.

1, with wireless turned off, and skinlink installed, that has all your cyberware slaved to it.
the other, should be 4/4 with an Agent running analyze 4 (you can't get response 6 to start, so you can't run r6 software). Let your agent do your basic protection, and slave everything else to that commlink.
Doc Chase
I still don't understand why a piece of hardware that has worked just fine by the virtue of being wired directly to your nervous system now requires a commlink to function.
Summerstorm
There are pretty much just three things you can do (against a GOOD hacker - a bad one you can even defeat with high-rating programs):

First: Having high Firewall and Analyze (Run Analyze all the time) This makes it harde for them to get an admin or security account - if they hack on the fly)
Second: Have an agent run analyze on your comlink, searching for intruders (It gets to roll pilot+analyze against someone already IN your comlink)
Third: deactivate wireless when you are on a critical mission. (This of course bars you from using a Tacnet and some other great tools) Use another (not connected) comlink as a walkie-talkie.

But there are other tricks: You can just databomb the SHIT out of everything in your system. Every data, every cyberware, every connection: Databomb it. Slows down a hacker, and he might even get blown up.
pbangarth
QUOTE (Doc Chase @ Oct 25 2010, 03:56 PM) *
I still don't understand why a piece of hardware that has worked just fine by the virtue of being wired directly to your nervous system now requires a commlink to function.
Yes, I agree. While there probably exists the facility to do upgrades wirelessly, if that is turned off at all other times I don't see how the cyberware can be hacked. Unless the hacker has directly plugged into it with a cable. In which case you already have bigger problems.
KarmaInferno
There's only a handful of things that a runner should have wireless:

Comms
Smartlink
TacNet & Sensors

That's pretty much it. Most of it can be in a single piece of equipment like glasses or a helmet.

Keep everything else on a separate hardwired network with no wireless capacity.




-k
Neraph
QUOTE (sabs @ Oct 25 2010, 02:54 PM) *
What cyber do you have? Because that will help.

if you have no eye/ear cyber then I would recommend having 2 commlinks.

1, with wireless turned off, and skinlink installed, that has all your cyberware slaved to it.
the other, should be 4/4 with an Agent running analyze 4 (you can't get response 6 to start, so you can't run r6 software). Let your agent do your basic protection, and slave everything else to that commlink.

You can buy and run R6 programs but they're just treated as rating of your Response until you can upgrade it.

Also: Hidden Mode your stuff slaved to your super-commlink.

Use Strong Encryption to make it 24 hours to decrypt.

Turn off Wireless.
PresentPresence
QUOTE (Arsenal pg 31)
Nonetheless, for the paranoid, it is relatively easy to have a
street doc disable or remove wireless links. Note, however, that
this makes care and maintenance more difcult. Besides requiring
invasive surgical procedures for inspection and maintenance, the
gamemaster may apply a –1 to –3 dice pool modifer to any rel-
evant tests the cyberdoc performs. Note that some implants may
not need a complete wireless link—built-in RFID sensor tags can
monitor the implant and report any problems. Te gamemaster
determines what implants/devices incorporate wireless links.
sabs
QUOTE (Neraph @ Oct 26 2010, 01:32 AM) *
You can buy and run R6 programs but they're just treated as rating of your Response until you can upgrade it.

Also: Hidden Mode your stuff slaved to your super-commlink.

Use Strong Encryption to make it 24 hours to decrypt.

Turn off Wireless.


remember you cannot strong encrypt communications, only files and systems.
Yerameyahu
Unwired says that 'most external cyberware' (limbs, etc.) generally don't have wireless in the first place. No need to get all in a twist. smile.gif

I wanna know what "make sure my cyber is clustered as a DNI to my commlink" means. There are basically 3 kinds of DNI for a commlink: trodes, datajack, and implanted commlink. Other cyber, clustered (a whole silly question itself) or not, doesn't become a datajack.
sabs
I think he meant slaved smile.gif
but said Clustered.

He was thinking that all his cyber was slaved to his commlink, and would not accept external commands from somewhere else.
Sengir
SR4A p. 338: "In addition to wireless functionality, most cyberware devices are equipped with a direct neural interface (DNI) that allows the user to mentally activate and control their functions."

In other words, just turn off the wireless unless you need it, then you can enable it with a free action (change device mode). Smartlink glasses etc. are another story, but stuff that is wired to your nerves can be considered hack-proof unless the hacker somehow tricks his victim into activating the wireless access.
TheScrivener
Clustering would probably be a Bad Idea, as the resulting cluster node has a Response equal to the average of the component nodes and System and Firewall equal to the LOWEST of the component nodes, so this would result in your comm being MORE vulnerable (as it most likely has greater than say, 3's in all stats like average cyberware) The only benefit you get from clustering nodes is increasing the processor limit to run more programs. It's a less efficient, less secure, but more massively parallel solution, like a Beowulf cluster.
Lantzer
QUOTE (Summerstorm @ Oct 25 2010, 08:57 PM) *
There are pretty much just three things you can do (against a GOOD hacker - a bad one you can even defeat with high-rating programs):

First: Having high Firewall and Analyze (Run Analyze all the time) This makes it harde for them to get an admin or security account - if they hack on the fly)
Second: Have an agent run analyze on your comlink, searching for intruders (It gets to roll pilot+analyze against someone already IN your comlink)
Third: deactivate wireless when you are on a critical mission. (This of course bars you from using a Tacnet and some other great tools) Use another (not connected) comlink as a walkie-talkie.

But there are other tricks: You can just databomb the SHIT out of everything in your system. Every data, every cyberware, every connection: Databomb it. Slows down a hacker, and he might even get blown up.


This is most of it. I'd add a stealth program. It greatly increases the pain-in-the-butt factor of hacking your system, since it greatly reduces the amount of information a hacker can glean from your system with a simple action. (it is page 228 in SR4a). Basically, you are wide open for viewing without one, and fairly private with one.

After all, He has to know if you are encrypted before he can decrypt. He has to detect a databomb before he can defuse. he has to find the bloody files before he can edit... And all the while your system is looking for him. This works really well with the encrypted, databomb-heavy system.

Defense through being too much trouble to hack. It won't stop a dedicated high-powered assailant, but it will slow him greatly.
Udoshi
QUOTE (TheScrivener @ Oct 26 2010, 08:08 AM) *
Clustering would probably be a Bad Idea, as the resulting cluster node has a Response equal to the average of the component nodes and System and Firewall equal to the LOWEST of the component nodes, so this would result in your comm being MORE vulnerable (as it most likely has greater than say, 3's in all stats like average cyberware) The only benefit you get from clustering nodes is increasing the processor limit to run more programs. It's a less efficient, less secure, but more massively parallel solution, like a Beowulf cluster.


Clustering is actually pretty great for your cyberware, as long as its all the same grade, there's no downside to it and it cuts down on your subscriptions rather greatly.
Yerameyahu
There should be a downside, which is why it's lame. I don't see what it has to do with subscriptions, though. Were you subscribed to your cyberware? Why?

In any case, it's rarely worth the effort to exploit. smile.gif Your 'real' commlink is almost certainly more powerful, and you can simply disconnect most of your cyberware from *any* Matrix connection. Cyberware DNI connections are not hackable. Even if you have some cyberware that needs a Matrix presence as a node, you're probably better off leaving them separate, running copies of your defensive programs. Then, the intruder at least can't get a one-stop backdoor to everything at once. smile.gif
TheScrivener
Because some folks don't turn their cyberware's wireless off and instead slave their cyberware to their commlink, taking up subscription slots for each piece.
KarmaInferno
Eh. Remove the Wireless completely. If a Street Doc needs to work on the arm, he can bloody well plug in a cable to do diagnostics like they all used to do.



-k
Yerameyahu
And still do: "Most external implants (like cyberlimbs) only have wired connections, requiring the hacker to physically jack in to access the device."

I get the feeling that we're mostly just talking about cybereyes (possibly ears), here. That's 1 subscription, in a system where too many subscriptions basically does nothing bad (at all; it's ridiculous), and you probably have at least 10 'free' slots to begin with. smile.gif

There are a handful of internal implants that would be likely to have wireless, but they needn't. Most work perfectly with just their innate DNI. That only leaves the few sources you might want to feed into your TacNet, and those shouldn't be implanted in the first place.

Interestingly, *all* your DNI'd cyberware *is* hackable via a datajack; one more reason not to have one. wink.gif
Ascalaphus
I see basically two scenarios: one in which you wish to use a TacNet, and therefore have to link some things to the Matrix. And the other in which you keep all your ware wired and off the Matrix. Ideally, you should be able to switch between them quickly ("Change Linked Device Mode" as a Free Action?) if there's no need for TacNet or if a hacker appears present. Because in all the combats without hackers (the majority) you'd like to have TacNet, but in those few cases where there's a good hacker, loosing a few TacNet dice is worth having complete security.
Medicineman
QUOTE (Doc Chase @ Oct 25 2010, 02:56 PM) *
I still don't understand why a piece of hardware that has worked just fine by the virtue of being wired directly to your nervous system now requires a commlink to function.


It doesnt !
all of my chars have their 'ware without WiFi and for Eyeware or Smart there is Skinlink (50 ¥ !! )
my Tip for the Streetsam: get a Decoylink (2/2/2/3) with dozens of Files(maybe with Databombs ?)a fake SIN and made up Infos.When a Hacker wants to hack it,let him take the Bait.
Your Real,important Comlink is in Hidden mode with Signal set to 0
(Firewall 6 and best Analysis Programm (optimised) and Agent(optimised) should help )
While on a Run use a Micro tranceiver with Rating 6 (and a Copy of the Agent with an Analysis Prog)

Hough !
Medicineman
Manunancy
QUOTE (Yerameyahu @ Oct 27 2010, 06:52 AM) *
Interestingly, *all* your DNI'd cyberware *is* hackable via a datajack; one more reason not to have one. wink.gif


Though if you find yourself in a situation where some ill-intentionned peoples can plug a cable into your datajack and leave it there, it won't make much of a difference.
Sengir
QUOTE (Yerameyahu @ Oct 27 2010, 04:52 AM) *
Interestingly, *all* your DNI'd cyberware *is* hackable via a datajack; one more reason not to have one. wink.gif

At least it's areasonable default assumption, since I've never seen a player detail what is connected to the jack and what is not. But just like all other "active" implants, a datajack can be disabled or turned to "cable only" mode with a single mental command...which also sounds like a reasonable default assumption to me, why walk around like an electro-magnetic christmas tree?
Yerameyahu
Manunancy, I actually meant the wireless access that all datajacks have by default. smile.gif But yes, you would likely want that turned off as well. My point is that the book says a datajack has access to all your cyber, while trodes don't have that problem.
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