So I've done a net dive on the forum, about this topic, and their both exceeding old, and there been quite few more splat books and reprinting of the core book.
So lets see how we can do combat hacking now a days.
In particular, lets frame it around the goal of breaking into an enemies team TacNet, and applying an AR illusion while in a fire fight without the ability to hack into them beforehand. Then we can expand it from there.
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So the Hacker would need to have a sniffer program. (Is it possible with the sniffer to to know who the host of the TacNet is?)
Then locate a signal to piggy back on.
Then they do a Brute Force hacking, you need to break in as soon as possible.
Then install a back door. Exit.
Use a multitasker fork to use the back door, from there gain admin access?
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Combat Hacking!
Mon, 2015-05-18 04:27
#1
MrWigggles
Combat Hacking!
Tue, 2015-05-19 05:02
#2
MrWigggles
So if the GM would be so kind
So if the GM would be so kind when they have the time to go through, and confirm or change my understanding how it works, or impose their own system for it.
Combat Hacking:
Step 1: Use Sniffer to find and piggy back on a signal. The goal being to subvert the admin of the TacNet. (Interface or Infosec check?)
Step 2: Brute Force Hack the Mesh Insert
Since Brute Force Hacking will result in Locked Status, there is no need to go after a Privilege Status.
If the system is being monitor, then it is an oppose test, if it is not monitor, then its defeat the firewall. (Which is just an unopposed skill test?)
Brute Force Hacking grants the Hacker +30.
If they succeed they get the Locked Status, which means that the System is clearly aware of their intrusions and may attempt counter measures against them. The Hacker cannot upgrade their status. This imposes a -20 on the Character's hacking actions.
(Does the -20 just apply to Infosec tests or any tests with Infosec, Interface and Programming?)
Brute Force Hacking cuts down the hacking time to One Minuet or 20 Action Phases.
For Task Actions, every 10 MoS drops the time required by 10%. EG, if you passed and rolled a 60, then the Task Action is reduced by 60%.
The character may also elect to 'Rush the Job', for every 10 penalty to the skill, decreases the time by 10%, up to -60 and a decrease of 60%.
[This is on page 120 of the core rule book.]
If the full -60 is taken that'll reduce the time to 8 Action Phases.
(Does the MoS for Task Actions still apply to Rush Jobs?)
So if the character takes the full -60 for the Rush Job, that'll total -20. (+30 from the Brute Force Hacking and +10 from a specialization in Brute Force Hacking), if the Muse can assist them in hacking, it'll be a -10 (+10 from the Muse assisting.)
Step 3: Establish a Backdoor
Even though the character has Locked Status, they can still perform Subversive Actions, though not many, because of the user account.
However wording for creating a backdoor, just requires a successful intrusion, and doesn't state an account level needed. It requires a Programing Check and an Infosec Check. Since the Intruder is in Locked Status. The Infosec test can be opposed.
The intruder can take a -20 or -30 on the Programming Test to let the backdoor access have security privileges or admin privileges. How long the backdoor remains is ultimates up to the GM. The book has wording about a security audit to find it, and remove it.
The programming test, is how well crafted the backdoor is, and the infosec is getting it in under the system nose.
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So the opposed infosec tests will probably be handled by the victim's muse, unless someone else intercedes on the victim behalf, and that may be the victim themselves, though unless they have mental speed, that should prevent from participating in combat.
The countermeasures that the system can impose on the hacker are found on page 258.
---They can attempt to back hack the hacker.
---They attempt to lock out the intruder. This is an opposed infosec test, with the intruder suffering a the Locked Status penalty of -20.
---They can terminate all wireless communication, with all the things they would lose by doing that.
---They can reboot their system, which seems to be an effective stun on the character for two action phases. I don't think this would get rid of the Backdoor, since restarting doesn't get rid of malware.
Sat, 2015-05-23 09:19
#3
FrivolousVector
One hacker to another,
take into account your program suite. Using Programming in an accelerated simspace to improve your programs makes the task easier. Also, no test can gain more than +60, or lose more than -60 from modifiers. Up your base skills, take the full -30 from rush job, use +30 programs, and run a couple copies of yourself in ghostriders for teamwork bonus. Specializations do not count as modifiers, so you can easily come out with a net positive.
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Sudo drop your weapon.
Sat, 2015-05-23 13:17
#4
MrWigggles
I dont think you can use
I dont think you can use accelerated simluspace for this. As the system you're hacking is not also in accelerated simluspace.
Sat, 2015-05-23 14:57
#5
R.O.S.S.-128
Simulspace
I believe he's referring to raising the quality of your hacking programs (sniffers, exploits, etc) using your Programming skill before you do any hacking. High-quality software will then give you up to a +30 modifier when you attempt the hack, depending on how much time you sunk into polishing it beforehand.
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Sat, 2015-05-23 15:31
#6
MrWigggles
Yea, I've seen that brought
Yea, I've seen that brought up a few times. But I cant really find anything in the books that actually covers it. Am I just blind? I can find references to quality of the sniffers and firewalls, just not what determines qualities.
Sat, 2015-05-23 15:42
#7
UnitOmega
That's because nothing
That's because nothing determines the quality but the GM. One of EP's many simplification abstractions. It's more of a narrative thing, you have good software, or you have shitty out of date software, etc.
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H-Rep: An EP Homebrew Blog
http://ephrep.blogspot.com/
Sat, 2015-05-23 16:27
#8
R.O.S.S.-128
Quality Boosting
"To reflect the efforts a hacker character makes by designing, coding, and modifying their own customized personal arsenals, they may make a Task Action Programming Test with a timeframe of 2 weeks.
If they succeed, they upgrade one of their software tools by one level of quality (i.e., from +0 to +10). Multiple Programming Tests can be made to enhance a program, but for each level add the target modifier as a negative modifier to the test (so upgrading a +0 suite to +10 is a –10 modifier on the Programming Test)."
--Eclipse Phase core rulebook, page 247, "Elite Exploits" sidebar
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Sat, 2015-05-23 17:11
#9
UnitOmega
Quote:--Eclipse Phase core
Never recall seeing that before in my life. Eclipse Phase is a great game, but the core book is definitely way too densely written.
In general though, applications of "quality" modifiers for most things seem broadly abstracted in that regard. E.g., while say, an Exploit is normally [High] and it averages to 5,000 CR, you might order out for an enhanced one with a +10 or +20 which would be somewhere between the 5,000 average and the 9,999 cap, but I don't recall the book ever specifying hard "oh yeah, a +10 version of this should be like +10% cost" anywhere.
—
H-Rep: An EP Homebrew Blog
http://ephrep.blogspot.com/
Sat, 2015-05-23 19:36
#10
R.O.S.S.-128
Quality
Yeah, I actually passed over that page several times looking for that info before I realized they had crammed it into a sidebar. Perhaps a polish note for future editions, try to organize things a little more and make useful things like "how do I raise quality" and "how do we handle time acceleration in terms of game mechanics" easier to find.
The general assumption I take away from it is that when you acquire a software, generally it'll be average run-of-the-mill Quality +0, unless your GM declares otherwise (perhaps due to MoS, over/under spending, Plot MacGuffin, whatever). So quality on acquisition seems to be purely GM fiat, and players have zero systematic influence over it unless the GM decides to houserule it.
This means generally you won't end up messing with quality most of the time, except in cases where you utilize Quality Boosting as outlined above. Or if your GM decides to use Quality Decay, outlined in the same sidebar (basically, after a certain time determined by your GM, the quality goes down a level due to decay/obsolescence).
I suppose it does also offer a potential avenue for quest rewards though, especially for hardware items that can't simply be upgraded with a Programming test. It would allow the GM to give you an item you already have, but at a higher quality level.
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Sat, 2015-05-23 22:06
#11
MrWigggles
So do Rushed Jobs still get
So do Rushed Jobs still get the Time Shorten by high MoS? If I were Gming, I would spot rule, and say no.
Sat, 2015-05-23 22:12
#12
R.O.S.S.-128
Time Reduction
If I remember right, the rule is that no action can have its time reduced by more than 90% total. This includes speed, rushing, and MoS.
So basically yes, but it's hard-capped. There's a point at which you simply can't go any faster.
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Sun, 2015-05-24 10:31
#13
FrivolousVector
Good catch, R.O.S.S.
A friend had found that rule in a PbP game we had running a while back, and I took that and ran with it. Nice to know where the rule actually is!
But remember that simspaces can be accelerated by up to 60x, so the entire task can be shortened to less than a day, even including the (in-simspace) breaks to keep you from going insane.
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Sudo drop your weapon.
Sun, 2015-05-24 11:24
#14
R.O.S.S.-128
Gotta go fast
Yep, at 60x sim speed you can cram about two months' worth of work into one day, or several minutes of work into a combat round.
Unfortunately, a two-way interaction (like hacking someone) proceeds at the time-scale of the slowest participant, so simulspace doesn't help the actual hacking process. It's amazing for prep work though.
Since brute force hacking (the kind you're most likely to do in combat) takes 20 combat rounds (full turns in which everyone has gone), the fastest you can possibly hack with the 90% rule is two rounds.
Be aware of that when starting a hack, since if you're exposed the enemy will get at least one free shot at you. This is one reason infomorphs make great hackers though, they can be sitting safe in a server or hitching a ride in another party member's head, keeping them safe while they hack. The reason you want to stack up speed bonuses and rushing is to get as close to the 2 round cap as you can, so you can hit it with as little MoS as possible.
You don't want to have to tell your party, "I passed my roll, but my MoS was 4.... it'll be 20 turns before I can take that Reaper offline." :D
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Sun, 2015-05-24 12:26
#15
FrivolousVector
yurp
Just remember, kids, simspaces are incredibly useful for some tasks, but not others. It's like trying to hack Google with dial-up.
But the above is also an excellent argument in favor of ghostriders, especially ones with Multitasking added on for good measure. The more actions you have per turn, the faster the crack goes. If you have other ghostriders in the morph or in your party, make forks of yourself and teamwork it. Always stack the deck in your favor!
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Sudo drop your weapon.
Sun, 2015-05-24 13:52
#16
MrWigggles
My current attempt at an uber
My current attempt at an uber hacker, has a ghost rider, and multitasking. My GM in my game said that my forks cannot give me a team work bonus. But my I figure they can still help by having one of them in place a backdoor, and one of the forks can access that. I think in the same turn?
Sun, 2015-05-24 23:02
#17
MrWigggles
So when you're in Locked
So when you're in Locked Status, on what skill does the -20 actually apply? Unless I misread it just says 'Hacking Actions'. Which I take, is any subversive action? -20 to any of the skill test required for the subversive action?
It also seems like you can implant an Admin level back door, while being on a User account with Locked status?
Mon, 2015-05-25 20:24
#18
Trappedinwikipedia
Should be any skill test
Should be any skill test required for subversion. It could even apply to any other tests made while in that computer, such as research for a database.
You can put any kind of backdoor in while in a locked user account, but it won't last long as the sysadmin will know that you did something and can audit it. It would be an opposed infosec test (if the system has any kind of AI watching it) with a -50 penalty though, which makes it quite difficult. I'm also not clear on how long it takes, so fighting off active countermeasures while placing it could be difficult. The best case scenario is a 24 hours free access window, with it potentially being much less. That said, a 24 hour free access window is pretty awesome.
Tue, 2015-05-26 00:34
#19
MrWigggles
Where does the -50 come from?
Where does the -50 come from? Just the -20 from the locked status and then -30 for the admin level, for the programming check.
Tue, 2015-05-26 00:36
#20
Trappedinwikipedia
Yes, its -50 for the
Yes, its -50 for the programming test, but only -20 for the infosec test.
Tue, 2015-05-26 11:00
#21
R.O.S.S.-128
Scripting
A slightly more roundabout way would be to write a script ahead of time that is programmed to install the backdoor after you log out. It could reasonably be argued that this would allow you to avoid the -20 Locked penalty, since you are not in the system at the time it executes and assuming you dropped the script successfully the admin won't be aware of it until he finishes an audit. Though obviously, how well that argument holds up depends on your GM.
One thing that's likely is that even if the GM goes with that logic and allows the script to avoid the Locked penalty, they might decide you have to wait a turn while the script does its thing before you can log back in. And you might want to spoof a different MeshID when you come back. Still, arguably worth it, because you'll only be dropping the script at -20, and then the script will execute at +0/-20/-30 depending on what access level you want the backdoor to be. The way the rules are written of course you'll probably have to write the backdoor (do the Programming test) while you're in the system, attach it to the pre-written script, then drop the script for it to finish the installation later.
This means you have to pass multiple rolls of course, which is a risk on its own, but in many cases passing two -20 rolls will probably be easier than passing one -50 roll. Especially when you take Moxie into account, the wider your window, the more likely you'll be able to correct a miss by reversing the numbers.
Another possibility of course, if whatever you planned to do can be achieved in fewer steps than your Programming/10, is just write the script to cause whatever havoc you planned on its own. Break in, drop the script, log out, wait for the fireworks. This is very useful in combat because you can just have the script in your pocket, and be off doing other things while it wreaks havoc for you. Even if you have to bash one together on the fly, you can do so BEFORE breaking in, to minimize the number of rounds you spend exposed to active countermeasures.
The script will execute with whatever privileges you had when you dropped it. So depending on what level you initially broke in at and what you tell it to do, the script might not have to roll infosec at all because it has permission!
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