Instant Netrunning A Fuzion Plug-In by Christian Conkle ([email protected], http://www.europa.com/~conkle) Introduction All computers connected to the Net are assigned LDL. This LDL serves as a kind of telephone number for This is a system of rules expanding the hacking rules that computer, to which other computers know where for Fuzion and Interlock. These rules draw heavily on to send information. In a futuristic setting, a Virtual Cyberpunk 2020's Netrunning rules and are intended Construct or Icon may substitute for the LDL. The Net to be native in a Cyberpunk environment where neural User connects their computer to a Virtual Reality Inter- cyber-interfaces are standard, though they are written face, within which companies pay for space and create generically enough to be useable in a modern setting as elaborate virtual constructs to represent their LDL, the well. VR equivalent of Internet Portal Sites such as Infos- eek or Yahoo! today. The Net User may now tour the These rules were designed to use existing Cyberpunk bustling 3D Virtual City regardless of gravity or speed. 2020 equipment and software with little modication. Corporate virtual constructs are like giant 3D advertise- There are several dierences from the original rules, how- ments, attempting to entice the average Net User into ever, that are intended to speed play and optimize sim- their Virtual Realities to sell products or services. Some plicity. First, these rules lack a grid. Movement within Virtual Realities actually provide useful services such the virtual environment of cyberspace is conceptual. To as information or online software applications. The VR convert applications that give ranges, simply apply a equivalent to modern Websites. These Virtual Realities percentage chance of eectiveness based on range. Sec- are housed on Dataservers maintained by the respec- ond, these rules incorporate the Power attribute from tive corporations or institutions. It is the information other Fuzion games, essentially the equivalent to a com- housed on these Dataservers that isn't readily available puter's Intelligence from CP2020. Third, software and to the public that draws the Hacker. Normally, a cor- memory no longer needs to be assigned to specic CPUs. porate dataserver is openly accessible to the Net public, If the GM wishes, each MU of application and datale providing information either to the public or its employ- can be assigned to specic CPUs such that if that CPU ees through a variety of interfaces: text-only, text and fails, the application or datale is no longer available. graphics (the Web), audio/video, or fullsensory virtual This process was removed to eliminate extra bookkeep- reality (the Net). ing. These rules assume a 3d6 die-rolling mechanic op- tion of Fuzion. If you're playing Interlock, or the Fuzion However, the value of information available on public option of 1d10, simply replace the 3d6 with a 1d10 die dataserver sites is poor and bland. In addition, access to roll. You won't achieve the same kind of bell curve, but remote software applications is limited to public-domain the results will be suciently randomized. applications. Datafortresses are the restricted hidden levels of a The Net dataserver providing remote access to restricted data or software applciations to authorized users. Security is The Net is a global computer network allowing fast maintained through the datafortress' DataWall program. and convenient access to millions of computers from The level of security restriction depends on the value of any other computer on earth or beyond. Any computer the information or application. Secure information may connected to this network has the capability to access be housed on the same dataserver as public information, information from any other computer connected to this only hidden in restricted directories, eectively invisible network regardless of distance or time of day. Whether it from those who lack proper authorization. Authorization is called the Internet, the Web, the Cybernet, the Face, comes with proper identication. Identication can or the Net, all use dierent special eects and technolo- come in many forms: Authorized Net LDLs, passwords, gies to describe the same thing. This plug-in assumes a proper interface software, or even biometric data. near-future setting which makes use of a Virtual Reality It is a hacker's goal in life to gain unrestricted access interface and gives exciting names to actions and tasks to restricted information, uncover secrets, make unau- which can be easily modied to t a more mundane thorized changes to data, or to use a restricted software modern setting. application. Instant Netrunning Netrunning Softwares 1/25 When attempting to gain unauthorized access to a cor- porate datafortress, the hacker establishes a legal con- nection to the company's dataserver. Once connected, The SysAdmin the hacker has normal access to the free services. Nor- mally, an authorized user will then use an interface pro- The SysAdmin is in charge of security for a gram to gain access to the datafortress. The datafortress' Dataserver/Datafortress. It is their primary job to pre- Code Gate program veries authorization and allows ac- vent Hackers from illegally gaining unauthorized access cess. The hacker attempts to fool the code gate into to restricted data. It is their secondary job to catch authorizing entry. Should that fail, the hacker may at- hackers who have already have. tempt to gain entry by disabling the DataWall program protecting the information. SysAdmins use their own computers connected to a Dataserver/Datafortress to execute software applica- Once past security, the Datafortress constantly re-checks tions. The Dataserver/Datafortress itself uses software authorization through the use of Detection software. De- such as Codegates, Datawalls, and Detection software tection software double-checks the authorization of all deter and identify hackers, yet allow authorized users in. the users connected to the datafortress. If it nds a discrepancy or error, it noties the Datafortress System A Datafortress is also characterized by its Power and its Administrator (SysAdmin) who will either attempt to Speed. A Datafortress is also rated by a Security Level disconnect the hacker, determine the hacker's location from 1 to 10. This number is added as a skill would to with a Trace application, disable the hacker's software the computer's Power when executing software applica- with an Anti-ICE application, disable the hacker's com- tions. The computer's Security Level is also it's Trace puter with Anti-System software, or physically injure the Value if being used to chain connections. A SysAdmin hacker with Anti-Personnel software. The hacker uses can't do anything to catch a Hacker if he doesn't know Stealth software to fool detection software into either they're there, so the SysAdmin relies heavily on De- authorizing or ignoring the hacker's connection. If dis- tection software to notify them of unauthorized access. covered, the hacker may ght back against the SysAdmin Once detected, the SysAdmin can run Anti- Personnel with Anti-ICE, Anti-System, or Anti-Personnel software software against the intruder, or opt to trace the hacker of their own. and run Anti-System software against the Hacker's com- puter. Should the hacker gain access to the Datafortress' di- rectories, they may view, copy, or alter data. Data The Computers comes in the form of online applications for remote use, inter-oce communication, public display data (text, Computers, whether they are Palmtops, Desktops, Mi- audio-video, or VR), databases, or records. nis, or mainframe supercomputers, exist to execute soft- ware applications. The computer is characterized by its Power and its Speed and its Security Level. The Hacker The Power is used like the computer's Body and it's Reexes, it determines it's resiliency to attack and its The Hacker's arsenal includes a computer, specialized base chance to perform an action. Power is based on the hacking software, and, foremost, a way to connect to number of Central Processing Units driving a computer. a remote target computer, usually via the Net though One CPU has a Power of 3, each additional CPU adds direct connections, however unwise, can be made. an additional 3. Each CPU costs $10,000. A Computer may have up to 7 CPUs for a Power of 21. Additional A Hacker's access to the Net is very important. To con- CPUs increase processing capacity and provide backups nect to the Net, the Hacker must have an LDL. LDL's in case one CPU should fail due to Anti-System soft- cost 50 euro a month from the Internet Corporation, ware. though they, too, can be hacked. Connections between computers are relatively easy to trace. Each computer A Computer's CPU also determines how much software connection has a corresponding Trace Value from 1 to it can run and data it can store. Software and Data 10. Hackers generally make a chain of several connec- are stored in Memory Units. A Computer can store as tions before they proceed to their target computer. A many MU's as it's CPU x 40. Memory can be improved SysAdmin wishing to trace the ultimate origin of the for $250 per MU. CPUs also determines the starting Hacker must trace every connection to nd the source. level of system Datawall. A Datafortress' base Datawall strength is equal to the number of CPUs driving it. 2/25 Instant Netrunning Netrunning Softwares Computers with Powers higher than 10 are Articial Cyberdecks vs. Computers Intelligences with complete personalities and full inter- activity. Power can be decreased for a cost reduction In games where cybernetic interfaces are common and of $3000 per level. A Computer may also possess skills older manual interfaces are uncommon, simply apply a like a character.