Hacking Guide

If anything asks for a Computers Check, the DC is DC 13 + (4xTier) unless otherwise specified.
Step 0): Find an access point
• You need an access point to a system. This is probably a computer or terminal. In large systems, the access point might only have access to a small subset of the network, but can then be used as its own access point to penetrate deeper into the system.
• You'll also need to be able to interface with the AP -- typically a interface is provided (keyboard at desk etc), but sometimes you need to bring your own (datajack).
• You can avoid an interface by using a hacking kit, but you'll still need to interface with that hacking kit (often just a Datajack).
Step 1) Gain Access
• On a typical, unsecured system (no firewalls, or countermeasures) this is a DC 10 Computers check. Unlike the rest of the Computers skill, you can take 20 on this check even if you're untrained (takes 2 minutes).
• A typical secured system has a two-step authentication process to grant access (a physical key and a password, or a rotating password and a permanent password).
• Having one of these security objects (looting a security key or knowing a password) grants a +5 circumstance bonus on Computers checks for Access. These stack, for a total of +10 if you have both.
• If you don't have access to a system, you can attempt a Computers Check to hack it. These penalties also apply to all later Computers checks in this post.
• If you succeed, you gain Access (but not Root Access) to all parts of the system not behind a Firewall. If you took 20 on this check, you also trigger the penalties for failure.
• If you fail, you trigger countermeasure. Some countermeasures are booby-trapped, and activate the moment you interface with the device and only deactivate when you gain access. This means that, for example, a sysadmin would get an alert from the Alarm countermeasure that someone is accessing a device, but the alert disappeared in a couple rounds, so it's probably a legit user. But maybe corporate policy is to check the security camera to confirm just in case.
• If you fail by 5 or more and used an interface (instead of a hacking kit), the system will lock the interface. You cannot use that interface for a specified period of time.
• If you fail by 5 or more and you used a security object to gain a bonus on this check, those security objects are blacklisted by the entire network and no longer provide any bonuses to checks
• When you gain Access to a system or a portion of a system, the GM secretly rolls a Computers check for you. If you fail, and the current level of access has a Fake Shell countermeasure, you do not realize you're in a Fake Shell and all the data/commands/etc are fake and just seem real.
• Firewalls create "Layers" of access. You have access to everything not behind a firewall you haven't penetrated yet. Multiple Firewalls may make you have to make Multiple checks to get access from A to B and C. A > F > B > F > F > C, or might separate B and C. C < F < A > F > B, or something else. You get the picture.
Step 2) Woo! Access!
• You can do any of the computers basic functions. • You can view what modules and countermeasures are installed as far as your current access level can see. • You can access any modules that are not secured behind a firewall. • You can attempt to manipulate one countermeasure or module by making a Computers Check. You cannot take 20 on this check. Each module/countermeasure needs to be handled separately
• As a Standard Action (generally), you can activate or disable a countermeasure or module with a Computers check.
• As an extended action (generally 1 minute per tier) you can add or remove a module.
• You can attempt to hack any computer on the same network as this computer, if this computer has either access, limited access, or a control module (e.g., a terminal sending simulation instructions to a super computer, or a terminal accessing a mainframe) to the other computer. That treats this computer as an access point, and you need to gain access to the other device normally.
• You can attempt to gain Root Access, requiring an extra hard Computer check of DC = 33 + (4xTier). That's the normal Computers DC + 20.
Step 3) Root Access
• Different Firewalls might have different Root User lists behind them. If the RUL is different, you'll need to gain Root Access separately.
• You can access any information or function of the computer as a Standard Action, no checks needed.
• You can disable or manipulate countermeasures or modules as a Standard action with a DC 10 Computers check.