Hack

When you HACK, you breach the security systems of computers or override their controls. You might access a data console to find a captive being held somewhere on the station. You might scramble a drone’s control systems to keep it from firing on you. You might override a door’s controls to get it to open (though Rig might be better).

GM QUESTIONS

• How do you gain access to the software?
• What do you want the system to do now?
• What tools are you using?

When you HACK something, you access software and override the decision-making components of an electronic system. This means you need a vector—a way to deliver your malicious code. You can’t HACK a blade, Precursor temple door, or blaster because there’s no code present to plug into. It also means you’ll have to have a way to access the systems ports and interfaces. With all these limitations you’d think HACK would be the least preferred action for solving problems, but most electronic systems in the Agitare Nexus are designed to be updated and are susceptible. If not, you should be using Rig instead.
The higher the Tech rating of a planet (see The Procyon Sector, page 291) the more likely things that can be HACKED are common or available. A safe on a Tech 1 planet might be a heavy steel affair, with mechanical locking components, while those on a Tech 3 planet probably have scanners and biometric readers. Car doors, locks and lockers, security systems and such all become more automated and thus prone to HACKING, including wirelessly.
To HACK, you need a hacking rig to write the code and some way to deploy that code. Security is always being updated, so you can assume that an exploit that works in one place does not work everywhere. However, you can buy exploits—using an Acquire Asset downtime activity to pick up a custom hack will grant potency.
Consequences from HACKING tend to be complications rather than physical Harm. Systems may raise alerts. Attempts could take extra time. Unexpected parts of the system might be affected. Additional Heat is frequent, as code signatures are of particular interest to the Galactic Union. Urbots (despite their drone-like appearance) are not designed to be HACKED. They require a combination of Rig and Attune to affect.