[raggedhalo]

Hey folks,

My question is inspired by this quote:

*Example: SR4A just does not explain what effect an Alert being sounded against a hacker has on their account privileges. It also doesn't tell you what level of access gets you what [in particular, it doesn't mention that you need at least User to be able to Subscribe].

In my game, I've been letting the hacker place a call to a particular commcode, on the basis that if/when that person answers then they have enough information (i.e. subscription/Access ID) to start to hack them.  But that quote has made me reconsider.

So, kind people - if all my hacker has is someone's commcode, what do they need to do to be able to hack in?

[RiggerBob]

In my game, I've been letting the hacker place a call to a particular commcode, on the basis that if/when that person answers then they have enough information (i.e. subscription/Access ID) to start to hack them.

So, kind people - if all my hacker has is someone's commcode, what do they need to do to be able to hack in?

Commcodes seem a bit blurry and designed to resemble our today's phone or pager numbers.

I think i would play it this way: Calling someones commcode and getting an answer establishes an indirect connection (through Matrix Service Providers) but gets you enough information to trace the actual commlink and then start hacking it.

[UmaroVI]

You would probably need to use the commcode to track them down, get within mutual signal range of their commlink, and then hack it.

[raggedhalo]

My personal understanding is that a commcode is like a phone number or a web address, whereas an Access ID is more like an IP address or even a MAC address.

If you need to use Track to get that sort of info, then that changes my hacker PC's game quite a lot.  Hmm.

[bangbangtequila]

I don't know. While the rules (as discussed in Long Distance Hacking Question, too lazy to link it) heavily imply if not downright state that you must get within mutual signal range, since you almost never get a subscription, I would personally interpret them differently. I would allow you to hack it through the matrix provided it maintains its connection, and only disallow hacking of nodes with no active matrix presence.

[Blue_Lion]

I don't know. While the rules (as discussed in Long Distance Hacking Question, too lazy to link it) heavily imply if not downright state that you must get within mutual signal range, since you almost never get a subscription, I would personally interpret them differently. I would allow you to hack it through the matrix provided it maintains its connection, and only disallow hacking of nodes with no active matrix presence.

Wait according to the main book any log on is a subscription and one of the 4 levels of log on is pubic. So if you can find them/ have there access ID or commcode then you can subscribe to them. People are tring to make hacking more personal than the rules intend.
Realy read the defintion of subscription on pg 224.

Subscriptions
To conect to a node, you must subscribe to it. A subscription is a tow-way communications tlink thout hte Matrix. This is a steady link that can be maintained for extended periods of time. You ust subscribe to a node if you want to "travel to it in the matrix, wich means you must be able to to either connect with it directly or by establish a rount through the matrix network. Subscribing to a node is a complex action. When yo log on to a node, your icon appers there.

Now access acount. Pg 225
When you log on to a node, you do so at a certain access level which is defined by your account. There are fout types of accounts, public, user, secerty, and admin, in order of least to most access. Execpt for a public accounts, access to an account level requires authorization,

So subscripitoin equals log on and one of the four log ons is public user so realy you only need to find them on the matrix witch means either traking them down or searching for their ID. Sompe people think subscription equals User accounts, but the rules do not say that they say it is a log on.

[Lethe]

Link to the other thread then, but you do not need to have the same discussion in multiple different threads.

[CanRay]

I'd suggest an axe. 

[beowulf_of_wa]

duct tape and a datajack lead? or better yet nanopaste!!

[voydangel]

In this case, just calling the commlink would not be enough to start a hack on someone due to commlink calls, emails, etc. being handled as a "Data Request".

In 2070, most of the traffic through the Matrix is caused by data
requests. People want to read their favorite website, watch the morning
news, or grab the latest episode of Karl Kombatmage. AR users want to get the
profile of the person sitting at the bus station, read the history of an exhibit,
or get the price tag of some item. Nodes want to read pieces
of data out of databases, synchronize timetables with other
nodes, and distribute data. Even phone calls and simsense
broadcasts are packaged into requests.

Nodes send data requests to the Matrix, and other nodes
answer with the needed data package. Most data are protected by
access rights, and requests are only granted if the proper access
rights conditions are met (see Accounts, p. 52).

A data request is not enough to hack someone since hacking requires a 2 way communication link, AKA a "subscription".

In order to hack a node, you must either be within mutual Signal range of the target node’s
device or have an open subscription with the node through the Matrix.

You can get a subscription simply by logging on to the public access area of the commlinks node, assuming it is actually connected to the matrix, and is operating in either active or passive mode. Note, however, that most Runners & Johnsons, and most any corporate node worth hacking, will be running their node/commlink in hidden mode, and or possibly even have public access completely disabled. as well as generally using disposable commlinks to firewall their calls so that if you get a commcode or access ID, its probably not the real thing, or at least sends you to a node with no real data on it.

If the commlink/node is operating in hidden mode (which it probably is), you must be within mutual signal range and detect his hidden node before you can start to hack him.

Now, assuming this is some joe shmoe or a green johnson, it is possible that you got the real code, and they are not in hidden mode, in which case, they are pretty damn easy to hack. All you would have to do in this case is:
1. call them, and then, while talking to them,
2. run a trace. Once the trace is complete, you would then
3. log on to their public access area, and then
4. begin to either probe or hack on the fly to create a "valid" account on the node.
5. log on to new valid/fake account. (done automatically when you hit the hacking success threshold).

[Thrass]

short answer: you need the access ID (and then you can subscribe/log onto the node/send spoofed or legitime commands)


if a commcode is a telephone number it is similiar to a domain name... you just place a dns request and the dns server replies with the ip (the physical adress of the commlink) and then you can hack into it

since the section of service providers clarify the matter a bit I can state the following

the dns part is done by service providers... you register with a service provider (black or not) and it gives you your commcode(/domain-name/telephone number)
if someone calls you on your commcode he makes a request with your service provider and asks them what "access ID" (physical adress) you have and once it get's the answer... it calls you on that access ID (access IDs can switch and can be spoofed and every time you switch it your commlink automatical reregisters with your service provider so you can accept calls on your commcode (unless you disable this functionality))
since you have the access ID you can hack now.... although you should be able to make a "access ID"-request (dns lookup in our internet) without actually calling

at least that is how our internet works (at the moment)
service providers in shadowrun probably work slightly different: (at least that's how I'ld run it) (working like telephone numbers today btw)
since your access ID is a very sensible information ... when you call someone on his commcode you call his matrix service provider (MSP) which then calls the person you want to call and you never get the real access ID (you still can make an encrypted connection through the MSP... it works "transparently" which means it (usually) dosn't read/listen/modify data between you and the one you are calling)
if this is the case you probably need enough information to identify the commlink you want to access and scan the matrix (with a search matrix action) or the meatspace vicinity (with the scan for (hidden) node for the commlink and once found should get the access ID and are ready to start hacking
or you can call him and then trace the connection through the matrix

tip: read about service providers access ids and commcodes in the core book and unwired


P.S. you can! directly call an access ID without the need of a commcode (and therefore bypass the MSP)