comStar Firewall alert - PhaseThrough

datatrail
Every interaction on the Matrix leaves a record. When a construct
or node interacts with another construct or node, even when
just routing a connection through the Matrix, access IDs are used in
order to identify each different party and avoid confusion and conflicts.
These interactions are typically logged, including the access ID.
This information may be used to investigate what actions took place
(see The Access Log, p. 65) or to track down a particular construct to
its originating node (see Track, p. 219, SR4). For this reason, many
hackers make efforts to spoof their datatrail (see p. 224, SR4), anonymize
their activities (see Proxy Servers,
p. 104), or edit away incriminating logs
(see p. 65).
Subscriptions
In the case of full AR and VR
connections (including the interactive
simsense needed by a jumped-in rigger
and sensible connections needed to
command agents or drones), a simple
data request is not enough. In these and
other cases (see the Actions Needing
Subscriptions table, p. 55), a fast, twoway,
maintained connection called a
subscription is needed (see Linking and
Subscribing, p. 212, SR4). A persona can
only maintain a number of subscriptions
equal to the size of its subscription list
(System x 2). If more subscriptions are
assigned, each additional subscription
over the limit counts as an additional
program run on the node and may lead to Response degradation (see
Matrix Attributes, p. 212, SR4).
networkS
Not all nodes are directly linked to the world-spanning
Matrix. Some are instead gathered in isolated networks, including
corporate, national, and private networks. Some networks exist
only at certain time intervals, and some are never connected to
the Matrix, protected behind wireless-inhibiting walls or other
defenses. Some have various access nodes to other networks and
grids, while others only have one gateway (see Chokepoints, p. 72)
that is heavily protected. In principle, anyone with two nodes has
the ability to form their own network. The most well-known examples
of networks are the PANs that everybody in 2070 carries.
grids
Grids are a series of interlocking networks. Every grid is
run by one or more Matrix service providers, who maintain the
infrastructure of the component networks. Grids are organized
into Local Telecommunication Grids (LTGs), used by cities and
corporations (and also Private Local Telecommunications Grids,
or PLTGs, which are not open to the public), and Regional
Telecommunication Grids (RTGs), which connect the LTGs and
PLTGs in a given state or nation. The RTGs connect together in
a global network to form the Matrix. Space stations like Zurich
Orbital also have links to the Matrix, but maintain their own
private networks.
Unwired
node configUrationS
Certain node configurations are more useful than the standard
network model for security and other purposes.
clusters
Sometimes, you have a lot of low-powered devices, but what
you really need is a single node able to sustain several personas
and/or run a lot of programs at once. For this purpose, two or
more nodes can be linked together to work as one super-node or
cluster with greater processing power. To do this, all the nodes
are linked together and placed
actionS needing
SUBScriptionS:
• Accessing a node*
• Command connections to drones and agents
• Encrypted connections†
• Jumped-in rigger connections to a drone
• Slaved connections (p. 59)
• Tacnets (p. 125)
• Using a program on another node
* An agent run on a persona does not take up an
extra slot, while an independent agent does
† Only encrypted connections that wouldn’t
otherwise take up a subscription slot count. For
example, an encrypted link to an agent takes up
only 1 subscription, not 2.
into cluster mode, requiring
a Computer + Logic (2) Test.
Admin access on each node is
required for this operation. Once
clustered, the group of nodes
is treated as a single node with
effective Firewall and System ratings
equal to the lowest respective
ratings of the nodes. The cluster’s
Response is equal to the average
of the node’s Response ratings.
The processor limit is determined
by adding the respective limits of
the nodes composing the cluster
and halving them. Persona limit is
determined by adding the respective
limits of the devices together.
All accounts present in each node
are valid for the cluster node.
Slaving
One node, the slave, may be linked to another node, the master.
In this setup, the master is given full admin access to the slave.
When slaving a node to a master, the slaved node does not accept
any Matrix connections from any other node but the master and
instantly forwards any connection attempts to the master.
Hackers have three options when faced with a slaved node.
First, they can hack in directly to the slave with an additional
threshold modifier of +2, though this requires a physical (wired)
connection to the device. Second, they can hack the master node
(thus gaining access to the slaved node—and any other slaves—
as well), though this node is usually more secure. Third, they can
spoof the access ID of the master node and then spoof commands
to the slave.
ScULpting
The Matrix is not real. It is a virtual environment where the
user only sees what the node shows her. Behind the scenes, nodes
are processing huge amounts of data and performing various tasks
that are not visible to the Matrix user. The virtual environment
was designed to help users better grasp and process the wealth
of available information. Because of this, icons in the Matrix are
interchangeable. Depending on the theme or metaphor of a node,
a piece of data could look like a piece of paper, a crystal block, a
bubble, or even a flying pig. Furthermore, what Matrix users see
depends on what they are looking for and what they are doing.
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