[DamienHollow]

Admittedly we have no idea how the Matrix is supposed to work, but there has to be something analogous to IP addresses to direct traffic. If every device is constantly pinging each other in a distributive network then there must be some record somewhere. This would allow a party with sufficient resources to build a database of locations said IP address visits (physical locations) and possibly identify a team by these. Things could get quite harry if this is the case.

[Mara]

I just always assumed that was the case, is why one of the rules has always been: Don't hack from home.

[RHat]

In SR4, that's your Access ID - can be used to trace you within 50m.  However, after the fact that's not gonna be so practical - from the originating device, the signal could go to anything from 5 to 50 nodes on it's first hop.  The mesh structure makes such historical tracking a lot less effective.

[DamienHollow]

I'm nto thinking active tracking, I mean "Hey, we picked this ID up just before events X, Y, and Z. We've got them on the watch list. Keep an eye on theses guys."

[RHat]

That would be...  Untenable.  In part because you can should change and fake your access ID, in part because you'd have to log the AID of EVERYTHING, leading to the "simply too much data" problem that much of SR surveillance has.  Further, you'd have to be watching at the time.

[DamienHollow]

So you have a Id but they can't look at there logs and  say "Who was hanging around in the last hour that we can't account for?" Even if they held only the last thousand or so IDs this should be plenty to grab the ID of a runner on a job gone sour. See this is why I keep my distance form the matrix. Way too easy to make one mistake and pay for it later.

[Michael Chandra]

People can constantly change their Access ID right? Imagine Dynamic IP but even worse, easier and without a company still being able to pin who it is.

[RHat]

You've got the Access Log on specific nodes, but you'd be editing that anyways.  And you grossly underestimate how many IDs would be coming through in any given area.

[farothel]

Maybe an agent or sprite can keep that constant watch and do a first selection, leaving you with managable data to look through yourself.

[RHat]

Maybe an agent or sprite can keep that constant watch and do a first selection, leaving you with managable data to look through yourself.

Workable if you have some sort of selection criteria, at least.  But it's pretty easy to fake or alter your AID - hell, technomancers get a new one every time they reconnect to the Matrix.

[farothel]

Maybe an agent or sprite can keep that constant watch and do a first selection, leaving you with managable data to look through yourself.

Workable if you have some sort of selection criteria, at least.  But it's pretty easy to fake or alter your AID - hell, technomancers get a new one every time they reconnect to the Matrix.

True, but just like today's security, I assume most wageslaves won't bother to change their ID every time they connect (if at all).  So if for instance you go to certain places multiples times, you can easily filter all the ones that are in the appartment blocks around your location that haven't changed out (or have an agent do that).  That would limit the number substantially.  It won't help for all situations, but you can remove a large part of the IDs after a while.

[Caradoc]

People can constantly change their Access ID right? Imagine Dynamic IP but even worse, easier and without a company still being able to pin who it is.

This is not the only concern. Some stuff my characters do is to load up a few programs and use them for data searches and spoofing during runs. The discussion on such programs always involves whether to use legit programs that are always being kept up-to-date with the latest patches, or whether you should have the program cracked to remove it's ID authentication otherwise your target could always trace the programs ID record to lead back to you or one of your SINs.

[Sichr]

People can constantly change their Access ID right? Imagine Dynamic IP but even worse, easier and without a company still being able to pin who it is.

Hardware operation, takes a few minutes...

[Basic]

If its likes real life no one checks till there is a incident or they have a set time to check.

[Reaver]

Some things to keep in mind here....

Just about everyone outside of the barrens is broadcasting an AID, simply cause everyone is online ALL the time.... That is why "the new matrix is uncrashable", it is made up of everyone and everything that can broadcast, broadcasting! Heck, in some parts of some towns, it's a crime to NOT be broadcasting!

Now, does that make it easy to track someone? you bet it does! IF (and this is a big one) you have the time and effort to sort through the THOUSANDS (if not tens of thousands!!) of AIDs that connected to a given site simply by passing close to it, and that person is not trying to actively evade your attempts to track them! Now, 99% of the population give their AID no second thought, it's a part of them as their SIN is, and they take it for granted.... But shadow professionals (or just professional criminals in general) take their AID very seriously as it can lead a reprisal/retrieval team to their front door!

However, tracking a AID across the matrix is not something that is done in seconds... or minutes for that matter! it takes hours if you are lucky.... Simply cause of volume you have to go through.... All the static AIDs (like vending machines, shop stands, traffic controllers, and all the rest.) and all the mobile AIDS (people, pets, vehicles, etc). Sure, a search bot or sprite can look through this list faster then a person could, but, can you imagine how many entries a vending machine sitting on the corner of the street would have logged in just 10 minutes? Every person walking by it, every pet, car and truck, every supplier checking inventories..... all of those are logged. And then all you know, is that at this particular time, that AID was in contact with the machine.... now you have to move onto the NEXT machine to setup a trace.... That's where the time comes in.....