Datawalls

Datawalls as defined by the CP2020 rule
book are “They are the ‘armor’ for the deck, resisting attacks….”
That tells us nothing about what these concepts represent. Well
with thought and the little knowledge I possess, and a real need
to describe this and with help from Dave I came up with the following.

Datawalls are the visual representation
of all the minor programs that are put in place to authenticate
users, ensure that anonymous people can’t randomly get their hands
on the password file, etc. It is the entirety of the security
subsystem. Datawalls validate users, track their security level,
block unauthorized access to objects and log transactions. In
short they are everything we consider part of a security service
today. (We’ll see how that flies.)
An attack on the datawalls (any attack on
a person, program, or system inside the datawalls) is attempting
to convince the security programs that this incoming data stream
belongs to someone already logged on, or who the system innately
trusts, (i.e. a branch office.) It also involves taking advantages
in bugs and improper configuration of the security programs in
order to gain entrance.
As a rule of thumb the number of CPUs makes
a good base value for datawalls. Although below datawalls are
listed with the hardware a more proper representation is that
of the OS and security programs that the computer is running.

Mapping

According to the CP2020 guide to making
a datafortress you should make a map somewhat like a crossword
puzzle and place CPUs then Memories, datawalls, etc. First off
forget the concept of mapping but continue from there. Select
number of CPU and seclev (see below,) this will practically determine
how difficult a netrun on this machine will be. The number of
CPUs ranges from 4 to 7 for anything larger than a deck and smaller
than a master AI. Next select the strength for the datawalls,
remember the above are just guidelines. Create key files, and
VR’s (most systems have at least one (Sales pitches, showrooms,
etc.)). Decide what remotes are attached to this computer and
finally decide what sort of defenses are available to the Computer
and Sysop. Throughout this document netrunners defending systems
are referred to as sysops. Attacking netrunners are called netrunners.
Once a netrunner penetrates the datawall
he can activate the icon. The icon then splits into up to four
subsystems. Theses systems are CPUs, Memories, Remotes and private
switches. See the relevant sections for information on these
four subsystems.

Defenses

In general there are only three ways that
a netrunner will see defense programs once he is inside the datawalls.
The first, if he fails any roll inside or outside of the datawalls
there is a chance that a dog series program will come to check
out what happened. This chance is generally equal to the seclev*10
percent chance for each number the roll fell short by. For example
if the netrunner needed a 28 and rolled a 26 in a seclev 3 system
there is a 60% that a dog will come to check it out. If the dog
sees a netrunner it will send a message to the system and the
operator. This takes one turn if it is destroyed before that
time elapses the netrunner gets a reprieve. If the netrunner
fails to kill the dog in that time backup will arrive in 1-3 rounds
and a sysop will appear in 2-6 rounds if online or 7-12 if off-line.
For low security systems a sysop may never appear (1-2 hours)
but this is uncommon for any system worth breaking into in the
first place.
The second way of encountering security
is if the netrunner tries to get a copy of a file marked to be
watched. When such a file is touched a dog appears to make note
of who touched it. Again if it sees a netrunner it reacts as
above. The final way of attracting a dogs attention is to run
a anti-system or anti-personnel program while inside the datawalls.
Same reaction as above.

CPUs

CPU are of course the brains and doers of
a computer. To a netrunner they are also the key. When a netrunner
enters a system he is using an assumed ID, either someone logged
or of someone with an easily guessed password. The first thing
a netrunner is going to want to do is go to the CPU and convince
it that he is in fact administrator, superuser, supervisor or
whatever. Also any system wide modifications must be done from
here.

AIs

AI’s I leave rather vague on purpose. To
me AI’s are dragons in the net their power is completely based
on how the GM wants to run them. In general AI’s break all the
rules. They aren’t limited to certain number of CPU’s or in almost
in any other way. There could be AI’s that any weefle runner
could take out, but this AI can handle a complaint letter like
it’s no ones business. There are also AI’s that require a team
of the best runners of all of the West coast and then it would
be battle to behold…. From far away.
AI’s are plot devices. If the story doesn’t
need AI’s you probably shouldn’t use one. If you want them, use
them. If you don’t, keep them away. In general they can’t be
made by the likes of the players… Unless one happens to have
a 10 Int and a +10 Programming and a +10 Expert: AI Genesis and
psychology and you want him to. Of course it would take one man
10 years of uninterrupted programming… But hey it’s an AI.

Memory

Memory contains one of four things: Programs,
VRs, Skills, and Data Files. Programs is the section where the
various programs that keep trying to stop the netrunner are located.
These files are always encrypted, and hard. VR’s contain any
virtual environments that the system may contain. I haven’t done
much serious thought about VRs so for the moment they stand as
written in CP2020. Skills are specialized programs that tell
a computer how to do any number of things: Move a security camera,
analyze the data from the camera, search the net, fire computer
controlled weaponry, play a synthesizer, balance a checkbook,
etc. See CP2020 page 147 for a good description of data file
types. Databases and above may be encrypted, Gray OPs and above
are definitely encrypted.

Remotes

The third subsystem controls remotes. A
computer can control anything from a printer to an alarm system
to a door to a robot to a autofactory. There are huge number
of things that don’t require direct human intervention these are
the remotes controlled by computers. These are why edgerunners
want netrunners around not just to get information about the place
ahead of time but also to play R2D2 (stopping trash compactors,
opening doors, etc.)

Private Switches

Some computers have direct connections to
other computers, these take the form of private switches and are
the fourth and final subsystem. Private switches connect to computers
that need access to the net but in which greater speed or security
is required. If an alarm has been raised it is quite possible
that a sysop would deactivate the switches to keep an invading
netrunner from getting access to more sensitive data.