[brantlymedders]

First:
I have a question about devices slaved to a host and hacking via direct connection.  Specifically, I'm curious if being inside a host lets you bypass the host's ratings when attempting to hack devices that are slaved to it.

Page 233 states that "If a slaved device is under attack via a direct connection (as through a universal data connector), however, it cannot use its master’s ratings to defend itself."

This is pretty clear.  If you walk up to a maglock, connect to it, and then attempt Hack on the Fly, it only gets to use it's own stats to defend.

Two paragraphs down states that "If you are in a host that has a WAN, you are considered directly connected to all devices in the WAN."

Does this also mean that if a decker was inside a host and wanted to attempt Hack on the Fly on a security camera, the camera would only use its own stats to defend against it?

I'm personally of mixed opinions about that.  On one hand, it makes Hosts seem to be more of a liability than an asset (assuming one can get inside one in the first place).  On the other, I think a hacker would be screwed pretty quickly trying to hack several locked doors for an insertion if a host got to use its rating against every single attempt (I'm eyeballing the Brackhaven Investments Security Host as I write this).

Second:
Running Silently imposes a -2 dice pool modifier to Matrix Actions.  Does this also apply to defense tests vs Matrix Actions or just the actions themselves?

[Pontoark]

I'm also interested about the first question, but unfortunately I don't know the answer... now about the second: Matrix actions are the actions described in p 237, resisting then is not a matrix action, so the modifier is just to the actions.

[firebug]

Does this also mean that if a decker was inside a host and wanted to attempt Hack on the Fly on a security camera, the camera would only use its own stats to defend against it?

Yes.  If you're in the host, the camera can only use its own stats (normally just its Device Rating) to defend.

I'm personally of mixed opinions about that.  On one hand, it makes Hosts seem to be more of a liability than an asset (assuming one can get inside one in the first place).  On the other, I think a hacker would be screwed pretty quickly trying to hack several locked doors for an insertion if a host got to use its rating against every single attempt (I'm eyeballing the Brackhaven Investments Security Host as I write this).

It actually doesn't make a host a liability at all...  The alternative is that the cameras are free-floating devices on the grid and thus have to use their own stats automatically.  By being part of a host, that means you either hack them from outside the host (thus going against its improved defenses) or go inside the host and risk being found and attacked by IC every time you try something.  They are in no way more vulnerable.

Running Silently imposes a -2 dice pool modifier to Matrix Actions.  Does this also apply to defense tests vs Matrix Actions or just the actions themselves?

When you are defending against a matrix action, you're not taking a matrix action, so Running Silent will not give you a penalty.