comStar Firewall alert - PhaseThrough

with their image links is an expense that many corporations,
governments, and other entities see as unnecessary. Some facilities
compromise with systems that are cabled except in wireless “safe
rooms” protected by wireless negation.
traffic and access
The physical location of the devices in a system is another important
security concern. Some placements are obvious: cameras
should be placed at entrances, locks are installed into doors, etc.
Standard nodes and nexi, on the other hand, can be placed almost
anywhere, especially in a wireless environment. It is important,
therefore, to give proper consideration to the placement of such
devices, to deny physical access to any person that does not need to
have access to them. By the same token, they should be kept away
from the main flow of physical traffic in which most personnel
work or travel.
SecUritY networkS and rigging
A facility’s physical defenses can be effective on their own,
with autonomous devices and security sensors, but when combined
with a security specialist, or spider, they can keep out all
but the most tenacious intruder. The various security devices in a
facility are joined together by one or more hub nodes into a security
network, which is overseen by spiders. This section discusses
security networks in practice; more information about the spiders
that use this practice can be found later in this chapter.
the Security network
A security network is simply a network of devices that are
assigned security roles. These devices usually include cameras and
other sensors, locks, automated doors, drones, and automated systems
such as gun emplacements or containment systems. Anything
with a Device, System, or Pilot rating can be integrated into a security
network, including agents, IC, and even the smartguns and
cybereyes of security guards.
These devices are then linked or slaved to one or more security
hubs. A security hub is simply a device that acts as a focal point
for command and control of the network. It can be a standard
node or a nexus, or even a commlink. The spider on duty monitors
the hub, and often uses it to run his persona. Any device or icon
that is linked or slaved to the network is considered linked to all
other devices in the network.
In large installations, it is not uncommon to find multiple
security hubs dividing the security. In some networks, the split is
geographical, with different hubs controlling different areas of a
facility. In others, the hubs are assigned to different types of security,
with one hub handling drones, another handling locks and
doors, another dealing with security personnel, and so forth.
Security networks do not need to be installed in a permanent
facility. They are installed in vehicles like semi-trailers, aircraft,
and naval vessels. Security networks do not need to have physical
bounds, and are found protecting police squads, military fire
teams, and even shadowrunning groups.
information operations
The most basic function of a security network is to allow a
spider to observe a large area from a single location. Devices in
a security network send a constant stream of real-time data to
Unwired
the hub node, or to multiple hub nodes. Should a device detect
a status change (e.g. a camera sees movement, a weapon is fired, a
program in a node starts or stops, etc.), it automatically notifies the
spider using a Free Action. The spider can then use the Observe in
Detail action (p. 136, SR4) to investigate using the data feed from
the specific device.
remote command and control
A security network allows a spider to do more than merely
observe. A spider is empowered by her security network to take indirect
or direct action against intruders and other security threats.
The simplest way this is accomplished is through command and
control, using the network to communicate orders and information.
The spider can use the Issue Command action (p. 221, SR4)
to send instructions to any automated device on the network. She
may also use the Speak/Text Phrase action (p. 136, SR4) to direct
security personnel, or if more detail is necessary, she can use the
Transfer Data action (p. 219, SR4) to send a full situation report
and orders.
Another option for the spider is to use the Command
program to control a subscribed device on the network (see
Controlling Devices, p. 220, SR4). This can be done in AR or VR,
and does not require any form of simsense. This option allows
the spider to address a security breach in conventional ways, such
as by firing an automated gun or controlling a drone, or unusual
and creative ways, such as opening a door in an intruder’s face,
changing the temperature in a room, or using the lights to flash a
message in Morse code.
A spider using VR can also jump into any device fitted with
a rigger adaptation (p. 341, SR4). In most security networks,
this is limited to drones. Some more creative security engineers
add rigger adaptation to other devices, such as sensors, gun emplacements,
and repair or medical facilities. It is possible to add a
rigger adaptation to other devices, such as automated doors and
windows, locks, and vending machines, but the utility of such a
modification is rarely very great.
For more info, see A Note on Commanding Devices, p. 104.
Matrix SecUritY
While the physical arrangement around a system is important
to its security, most of the action happens in the Matrix.
Security personnel called spiders act as hackers and/or riggers
from within the system, guarding it against intrusion. Intrusion
countermeasures (IC) are run on nodes to guard them from
attackers, or to mount their own attack against trespassing
hackers. Even the very shape of the system’s virtual layout can
aid in its defense.
aUtHentication
The first line of security is authentication, the process by
which a system determines whether the claimed identity of a user
is genuine. The node must be reasonably certain that a user is who
he says he is, and is therefore entitled to the account privileges
listed for that user.
There are several different ways for a system to authenticate
a user. Some are more reliable and secure than others, although
for the most part, the more secure an authentication method, the
higher its overhead costs.
Simon Wentworth (order #1132857) 9
63
systeM security . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .