comStar Firewall alert - PhaseThrough

Matrix overview . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
20
top 5 Matrix corpS to watcH in 2071 (cont.)
be released within the next 6 weeks and stock in MCT continues to rise
based on sales projections.
> There’s been some glitches in the MCTech Link 2071 that have pushed back the
release date, but the reasons have been kept very well wrapped. My spidey-sense
is telling me that the recent Horizon smear campaign on the safety issues of the
MCTech Link 2070 has something to do with it.
> Mr. Bonds
5. kolkota integrated talent and technology: rising Star (or the corp
we talk to Most)
The service and consulting behemoth provides cost-efficient outsourcing
for customer service, software development, and other tech-based services.
Chances are, if you’ve called into a customer service hotline, you’ve
spoken with a KITT agent, regardless of whether you were getting help
with your Novatech Airwave or your Renraku Sensei ‘link. In today’s fullyautomated
world, their live sales and service support is winning them
customers from around the globe. Their revenue tripled in each quarter of
2070, and projections for 2071 look to continue the phenomenal growth.
Keep your eye on this rising star.
> KITT’s been around for years, but they’re really coming into their own as the
ultimate outsourcing firm, providing everything from sales support to secretarial
and HR services. Wages for KITTs primarily Indian employees are significantly
lower than in many sprawls, and their level of education often exceeds what’s
available in most sprawls’ workforce pools. With even the megas using KITT,
there’s plenty of opportunities for hackers to intercept the (mostly) administrative
data that flows from their offices to their clients around the globe.
> Mr. Bonds
> Heh. That only counts if you’re a hacker. Corps do it all the time.
Well, maybe not photographing piss. But I bet they track your bathroom
usage in order to market better TP to you.
> Snopes
> ID theft is a huge problem, but authorities aren’t doing much about
it. The law says you have to broadcast your SIN and ID in many public
places—like malls—and that’s just asking for trouble. The solution
would be to allow folks to keep their SIN private, but then how could
the corps track everyone? A hacker in a nice neighborhood is like a
wolf in a hen house—easy pickings. With Joe Q. Public’s SIN and ID, a
hacker can go on a quick shopping spree.
> Glitch
> And if the hacker gets caught—and many of them do, greedy
buggers—they can expect some serious jail time. Corporate jail time,
if they “stole” corporate goods with Joe’s money.
> Dr. Spin
> Consumers can buy services that monitor their SIN and ID and bank
accounts for suspicious activity. ID insurance is also a big business—
playing on fears of losing your ID. They promise to provide full ID
coverage, generally by having DNA samples on file and counselors
who help with the red-tape of reestablishing your SIN or ID in case
of theft, loss, or computer glitch.
> Mr. Bonds
Unwired
> Notice the mention of media coverage
for “exploitation of minors”—the really
disturbing crimes, often violent, like the
creeps who peddle kiddie-porn or the
pedophiles who attack kids online (or
track them down in person). Those crimes
happen daily, but the truth is, the creeps
are rarely caught or even investigated unless
the victim is a pampered corporate
brat. Even when they are caught, if the
crime was completely virtual (and with
the sim-levels available today, you can
bet those online attacks really do hurt
and leave psychological scars), in a lot of
places—Seattle, for example—the crime is
generally just “contributing to the delinquency.”
This is one area where the law
hasn’t caught up to the tech.
> Frosty
> I’ve taken nuyen a couple of times—from
parents generally, but once from a fed-up
cop—to track down an “Opie”—Matrix slang
for an online pedophile.
> Pistons
> You took money for that?
> Frosty
> To track ‘em down? Sure. A girl’s got to
make a living, after all. But ‘cause I’m so
nice, I fried the Opie’s brain for free.
> Pistons
An estimated 60-70% of Matrix crimes, when measured
in terms of nuyen (for a cost basis, see appendix 2.11), are committed
by crime syndicates (which includes organized crime,
terrorist groups, and more sophisticated gangs). With the prevalence
of wireless infrastructure, every major crime syndicate has
come to rely on Matrix crimes for part of their money-making
opportunities. Globally, our figures indicate—
Load Appendix 5.16B…
SeattLe Matrix criMe
In the Seattle area, the Mafia is responsible for the largest
percentage of Matrix related crimes. Headed by Rowena O’Malley,
they are suspected of money laundering, fraud, ID theft, ID
forgery, operating illegal online casinos, BTL production, and
distribution of illegal online pornography.
Of the Seattle Triads, the Eighty-Eights are the only Triad to
have significant Matrix assets or dealings. We have reason to suspect
that they recruit heavily among hackers and technomancers, which
makes them more technology-friendly than the other Seattle Triads.
They have a healthy business in software piracy and are believed to
be one of the primary sources for illegal software in the city.
The Yakuza are suspected of using the Matrix to carry out
Simon Wentworth (order #1132857) 9