SR4 Hacking Notes

SR4 Hacking a la Carte

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Having tested out the hacking rules I think a few things need some clarifications. Now these clarifications are not directly taken from the SR4 rule book but are instead taken from either a) SR3 or b) common sense playability. If anyone does manage to find real answer to these situations then let me know…

Account Privileges

When hacking into a node you create your self an account but from the SR4 rules its unclear what privileges you account has. These thoughts are taken from SR3 Matrix.

User/Group Account

Edit*, Control Device*, Transfer Data.

Security Account

Encrypt*, Trace, Launch IC, Analyse*, Activate Alert, Terminate Connection, Crash Program (Not IC)*

Administrator Account

Validate/Invalidate Account, Shut Down Node, Crash Program (Not IC)*

• These system operations can only be performed on files/applications/devices on this node.

Illegal Operations

Some tasks are just plain illegal and can’t be done legally by any users. These include: Crash IC/User (Requires Cybercombat), Deactivate Alert (Requires System reboot or time), Edit Log (Changing the log on any file or system), Spoof (Feeding fake data to any device etc).

IC

IC are basically agents running on a node. They can’t be crashed by the crash program action or deactivated from a user account. The only way to defeat IC is either to avoid it (Opposed (Pilot + Analyse [Stealth + Hacking] Test), crash it in cyber combat, or spoof it. To spoof an IC you must first obtain the IC’s security ID either by hacking at least a security account, or have made a matrix perception test against a valid icon which can control the IC. The spoof test is an opposed Hacking + Spoof [Pilot + Firewall] test. IC will generally follow the following pattern. First use a matrix perception test to detect an intruder (Opposed (Pilot + Analyse [Stealth + Hacking] Test). The IC will then depending on its severity do one of the following: Activate Alert (Free Action), Terminate Connection, Trace, Crash OS/Program, Crash Icon (Cyber Combat). IC will either be already running on a system (in very paranoid systems) or will only be running when the system is on an alert. Note IC can be run on any node including characters own com links!

Concept Conversion from SR3 to SR4

To help people understand the difficulty of ratings of nodes here’s a very unofficial rough conversion guide

SR3 Rating	Example System	SR4 Rating
Blue-Easy	Local Library	Rating 1
Blue-Medium/Hard, Green-Easy	Public Database	Rating 2
Green-Medium/Hard, Orange-Easy S	ecured Public Access System	Rating 3
Orange-Medium	Standard Office	Rating 4
Orange-Hard, Red-Easy	Secured Facility, Matrix Service Provider, Grid Guide	Rating 5
Red-Medium	Government System (DVA), Police, Power Grids, Personal Banking Systems	Rating 6
Red-Hard	Mega Corp Secret Archive, Corporate Banking Systems	Rating 7
Ultraviolot	AI’s Playgroup, Uber corps host	Rating 8+

Note that the SR4 system rating is the nodes Firewall, System, Signal and Response. Systems can however have been upgraded to have separate sub ratings.

That’s all folks any other ideas…