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cess (even if the agent tries to hack his way in, the attempt
will automatically fail). This security feature both deters
piracy and prevents mass invasions by agent mooks (the
so-called “Agent Smith” scenario).
A copied agent may be patched in order to give it a
separate unique access ID with a Logic + Software (Rating
x 3, 1 week) Extended Test.
new prograMS and actionS
This section introduces a number of new utilities and
describes the use of these programs in SR4.
new Software
Programs are the lifeblood of hackers and are often
quite useful to non-hackers as well.
corrupt (Hacking)
A mixture of Edit and Browse subroutines, Corrupt
programs are designed to track down and demolish specific
information in a node without actually deleting the files in
which they are saved (see the Corrupt Data action, p. 112).
The idea is that, since deleted files can be restored from
back-ups, Corrupt edits the files to overwrite the targeted
information while leaving the file intact, without making
any indication of the alteration, so that the corrupted file is
eventually backed up as well, making detection and recovery
of the original more difficult.
Additionally, Corrupt programs can be attached to a
particular file in the same manner as Data Bombs (p. 226,
SR4). If triggered, the Corrupt program demolishes the
data before it can be accessed. Corrupt programs used in
this way can be deactivated in same manner a Data Bomb is
defused (see Disarm Data Bomb, p. 223, SR4).
disarm (Hacking)
Disarm is used to undermine programs without crashing
them. It is used to corrupt targeted software so that the
disarmed program cannot act against the hacker (and only
the hacker), effectively neutralizing its use. Operating systems,
personas, IC, agents, sprites, and malware may not be
disarmed, but this utility is effective against most Common
Use programs, Hacking programs, and autosofts.
nuke (Hacking)
Nuke is a combat utility that does not inflict Matrix
damage, but instead hogs up system resources in an attempt
to freeze the target user. Treat damage from a
Nuke attack similar to Matrix damage from an Attack
program. However, each box of Nuke damage instead
deducts one point from either the node’s Response
or System/Pilot (in case of agents or sprites) with the
appropriate effects on Matrix Initiative, processor limit, and
subscription limits. The attacker determines which attribute is
affected by each point of Nuke damage. If Nuke reduces both
values to zero, the target’s persona freezes. The user or agent
can take no action within the Matrix until he reboots (p. 221,
SR4). Likewise, Response reduced by a Nuke attack cannot be
restored without a reboot.
Unwired
agent coMpetencY
Agents may be capable of operating independently,
but this does not mean that they are just as capable as
hacker characters. In fact, while they are very smart in
many ways, agents possess a number of drawbacks that
make them inferior to metahumans.
The Pilot program that guides an autonomous agent is
an incredibly sophisticated software with logical and analytic
capabilities on par with any metahuman. This does
not mean, however, that the agent has decision-making
capabilities equal to metahuman. Not only do they lack a
lifetime of experience to base their judgements on, they
often lack the context that would enable them to fully
understanding a situation. For example, while the agent
may understand that certain icons engaged in cybercombat
with others are considered enemies, and might
even grasp some of the finer tactical points, it would
not necessarily understand the personal relationships
or social cues between them, and so would not realize
that, say, attacking one icon might enrage another, or
recognize that one icon is attempting to surrender or
switch sides, or comprehend that one icon is simply
toying with its opposition and hasn’t unleashed the big
guns yet. Contextual information is even more lacking
when the agent interacts with the physical world in some
way (via sensor, security system, or drone, for example),
as agent Pilots are programmed for Matrix activities, not
for interfacing with meatspace. (This is less true of drone
Pilots, which are programmed for real-world activity, but
are specifically tailored for the drone model they occupy;
see Pilot Capabilities, p. 103, Arsenal.)
Pilots are also limited in their capacity for creative
thought. They tend to stick to their orders, making strictly
logical choices according to programmed decision trees
(see Agent Scripting, p. 100)—which may not always be
the best course of action. When faced with an unexpected
obstacle or set of choices that don’t fit their programming,
they tend to fall back and regroup—a safer choice over
improvisation. Note that agents due have “fuzzy logic”
routines that allow them to judge and act on imprecise
concepts and conditions, but taking action based on generalized
probabilities also has its drawbacks.
When in doubt, gamemasters can secretly roll a
Pilot + Response Test against an appropriate difficulty
threshold to determine how agents respond to difficult
situations based on their orders (see Issuing Commands,
p. 214, SR4).
Due to the unique and organic nature of the living persona,
technomancers are immune to Nuke attacks, while sprites and
other autonomous entities that depend on the resources of the
node they are on (rather than the technomancer), are not.
purge (common Use)
The sole purpose of Purge programs is to search through nodes
infected with virus programs to find the virulent code and eradicate it
Simon Wentworth (order #1132857) 9
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