Revision [122]

This is an old revision of Av2Hacking made by ConradWong on 2010-09-30 10:28:35.

 

AvatarsCampaign > AvatarsGameRules > Av2ModernCharacters > Av2Hacking

Hacking


These rules are taken largely from Daring Tales of the Sprawl.

Computer systems are rated as Green (civilian models) or Red (high security models), and have Security skills of 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12, i.e. a simple library computer might be a Green 4, while a military computer might be Red 10. Give the computer a number of tokens (layers of software protection) equal to its Security skill.

Normally the hacker begins his hack from a friendly computer he controls, which will also have a security level and tokens. If the hacker is using a direct neural connection to the target computer, he instead has half his spirit die in tokens, but gains +2 to his Hacking rolls. With a coprocessor implant, the hacker has his full spirit die in tokens.

The object of hacking is to reduce the target system's tokens to zero before the system's intrusion countermeasures can entirely remove the hacker's tokens. This takes place over a number of rounds. The hacker may abort his attempt at any time but must start over from scratch if he tries again later.

Each round, the hacker rolls Hacking against a target of 4. He removes one token for a Success, plus one more per Raise. On a Botch, the target system is Alerted and gains +2 to its Hacking rolls against him for the next six hours. In addition, security might be heightened at that installation.

In return, the target system rolls its Security skill against a target of 4. Green systems simply roll their Security skill; Red systems also roll a d6 Wild Die. Like the hacker, it removes one token for a success, plus one more per Raise. On a Botch, the hacker is able to spot a backdoor and gains +2 to his Hacking rolls.

New: The hacker has the option of, instead of attacking the system, running his connection through another system. Roll Hacking versus a target of 4. If successful, the hacker has found a Security level 4 computer that he can place in the loop, increasing by 2 for each Raise. This grants the hacker that many tokens. However, the hacker takes -1 to all further Hacking rolls due to the increased latency. The hacker does not have this option when directly connected to the target system.

For example, if the hacker had been reduced to 2 tokens, he might roll Hacking, desperately trying to throw another computer between him and the target system's ICE probes. He rolls 10, a Success and a Raise. He gains a Security 6 computer, giving 6 more tokens for a total of 8. However, his further Hacking rolls are now at -1.

If the hacker succeeds in reducing the target system to 0 tokens, the system has been successfully compromised, and the hacker can then use his Computers skill to retrieve data or give the system orders to be carried out.

However, if the system reduces his tokens to zero first, the hacker is dumped out of the system. The system rolls its Security skill; a Red system may also roll a d6 Wild Die, and may Ace its rolls. This is feedback damage caused by the target system's ICE. The hacker uses his Spirit as "Toughness" for the purpose of feedback damage. Each 4 points of damage from a Green system is applied as Fatigue; from a Red system, they are applied as Wounds. The hacker may use Vigor to soak the damage.

New: once the hacker has successfully taken over a system, on a successful Hacking roll vs a target of 4, he can use it as part of a loop to allow him to attack another computer, adding its tokens to his own. He takes -1 to Hacking for each computer he is using in the loop, not including his own computer. If he is directly connected to the computer, there is no penalty, but he does not get the direct neural connection +2 hacking bonus against the new target computer and he uses the computer's tokens as his own, rather than adding them to his spirit-based tokens.

If the second target computer is part of the same computer network, then the hacker receives a +2 hacking circumstance bonus, ameliorating the effect of latency. For example, if the hacker connects to a university's library's card catalog with only Security 4, and takes it over, he might then be able to attack their nuclear program's Security 8 research computer network with +2 circumstance bonus, -1 for using an intermediary computer but with 4 extra tokens from the card catalog, for a net of +1 Hacking. If he then burrows in from there to a researcher's private computer, he would have 12 extra tokens total, +2 circumstance bonus, -2 for using two intermediary computers, for a net of +0 Hacking.
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