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In a universe where everything has integrated electronics and computers, Hackers play the most dangerous game…
As in the 21st Century, people of the 43rd Century interact with countless computerized devices within their environment, such as intelligent controllers, robotics or cybernetics, even synthetic intelligences in a seemingly endless variety and combination.
The skilled hacker or programmer knows these complex systems break down into fundamental blocks with flaws they can exploit through knowledge, skill, and persistence.
| Technology Level | Examples |
|---|---|
| TL -9 | Ishango Bone, Quipu |
| TL -8 | Abacus, Antikythera mechanism |
| TL -7 | Mathematics, Mechanical / Clockwork devices |
| TL -3 | Steam-works, earliest electronics, radio |
| TL -2 | Morse Code and Amateur Radio – widespread Electronics and Communications |
| TL -1 | Beginnings of Computer Skill – see CARDIAC |
| TL 0 | The first Planet Net and early Orbital Net |
| TL +1 | Planet and Orbital Nets, non-creative AI, low Autonomous Interfaces |
| TL +2 | Planet Nets, Interplanetary Packet Communications |
| TL +3 | Highly autonomous Synthetic Intelligence |
| TL +4 | Are computers people yet? |
Hackers may work alone or affiliate in groups based on shared common cause or mutual pooling of different skills.
For example a “demo group” may have a “coder”, an “artist”, and a “musician” who work together to code and release technical demonstrations.
A “cracking group” may have a number of “suppliers” who provide (somehow) the uncracked copies of software, “crackers” who reverse engineer and remove the protections, “trainers” who reverse engineer the code and add additional controls such as unlimited health to a game character, and finally “distributors” who spread the cracked software in trade to others.
The Hacker profession centers around the following skills:
Ingenuity / Engineering (Computers)
This is the fundamental skill for dealing with computer hardware.
Intelligence / Computer Operation
This is the fundamental skill for computer operations, software.
Ingenuity / Computer Programming
The is the fundamental skill for crafting programs.
Intelligence / Communications
This is the fundamental skill for communications between computers and devices.
A Hacker may build their hacking consoles from the standard computer options
Platform Types (by TL)
Subverting a system begins with reconnaissance:
During the reconnaissance, the attacker assembles tools and techniques into a plan of attack.
They may spend days, weeks, or even months crafting their tools and techniques to exploit a target and maximize their returned benefits while minimizing any exposure to defense or traces left behind.
Types of Tooling:
When it is time, the hacker puts their months of preparation, coding tools, refining techniques, and natural skills to the test, making their attempt to subvert the target system defenses.
The hacker may balance the risk and reward of testing their attack against a similar target as a proof or trial run before the main event, which could increase the risk of premature exposure of the attack to the intended target.
During a hacking run, the programmer makes quick reconfigurations, modifications, patches, or tweaks to the cores and modules they prepared for the run.
Due to the complexity, however, a programmer cannot fundamentally alter those cores or modules functions which took days, weeks, months, or years to code and test.
The programmer may “swap out” cores or modules during the run, provided the replacement code already exists, was brought along, or can be made available to install or swap into place.
To subvert a system, the hacker must interface to it through:
Rarely does a hacker enjoy the luxury of directly attacking the target such as physical access.
More frequently the hacker must subvert a chain of interconnected systems with varying security on each.
Layer upon layer of densely interconnected devices create labyrinthine mazes of systems which the hacker must tackle individually.
Invading systems comes with significant risks.
Systems implement defenses, such as intrusion detection and countermeasures which poses risks to the hacker.
Synthetic intelligence defenses may surprise or counter hackers through improvised adaptations to the attack in real time.
Worse, the consequences of detection during a hacking run frequently involve counterattacks in realspace by security, enforcement, or mercenary forces as the synthetic intelligence or system owner chooses.
Programmers or hackers can use a variety of methods to gain access to computerized devices:
Subverting system defenses results in a number of benefits: