In this edition it seem to be confusing what you can and cannot do without taking the Enter Host action ;-)
For example:
To data spike a wireless enabled device that is part of a host network it seem as if you don't first need user or admin access to the network (data spike an outside access action). I read this as if you also don't have to be "inside" (taking the Enter Host action) the host before you can take this action.
In previous edition a hacker could
- Data spike it directly out on the grid without having access to the host (but in this case it would defend with master ratings and the hacker would potential also suffer noise penalties)
- Use a cable between cyberdeck and the device / physically touching it with skin link echo (ignoring both master ratings and noise ratings)
- First gain access on the host and then enter the host (have to watch out for IC and spider but once inside the host a potential hacker would be considered direct connected which let him ignore both master ratings and noise ratings).
To control a wireless enabled device that is part of a host network it seem as if you first need user or admin access on the network (depending on what you want to do with the device). Not clear if you also need to be "inside" the host (taking the Enter Host action) or not.
Is the device out on the grid or is the device inside the host. Can you "see" the device from the grid before entering the host? Can you "see" the device from inside a host after you entered the host?
In previous edition the distance to hosts were always zero no matter where in the physical world you were located and a wireless device was always out on the grid, but if part of a host network you would be considered directly connected to devices slaved to the host even though they were out on the grid (which meant you could interact with them directly from within the host and since you were directly connected to them you would also ignore master ratings when attacking them and you would also ignore noise ratings).
In previous edition a hacker would have to gain access on the individual device and then either
- Control it directly from the grid (in this case it would defend with master ratings and the hacker would potential suffer noise penalties)
- Use a cable between cyberdeck and the device / physically touching it with skin link echo (ignoring host and noise ratings)
- First gain access to the host and enter the host (have to watch out for IC and spider but would be considered having a direct connection to ignore host and noise ratings).
To edit a file located on a host network you first need user or admin access to the network and you also might need to find the specific file (for example by using hash check). Not clear if you also need to be "inside" the host (taking the Enter Host action) but it seems plausible.
In previous edition your only option was to first gain access on the host, take the Enter Host action, matrix search action with a base time of 1 minute to locate the specific file and then you had to gain access on the individual file icon as well. The file would defend with host ratings, but the "distance" would always be considered to be zero.
Also not clear if some actions are obvious and will alert the host or if other actions are stealthy and does not alert the host. Except for a few actions have the behavior explicitly listed (such as Probe).
In previous edition all actions that used Attack as limit were considered immediately obvious and would always alert the target if successful (cracking a protected file, for example) while all actions that use Sleaze as a limit were considered stealthy and was never noticed as long as successful but on failed attempt the action was not only noticed, the target (or the owner of the target) would also automatically gain access on the offender (snoop for example).
