Cyberwarfare in SARP

[Strangelove]

PANTHEON, the Projected-Access Nodal Transuniversal Heuristic Electronic Operations Network, is a massive, multi-tiered system of networked artificial intelligences and subsystems (each collectively known as a node). It is the backbone of all Yamataian communications and intelligence and runs everything from starship main cannons to automated farmland. The system allows authenticated or anonymous use to any person or computer (even enemies of Yamatai) and could be compared to a deity-like version of today's Internet.

Any system that allows anonymous access will almost certainly be cracked eventually, on the basis of argument of scale. PANTHEON has control of too much wealth and information for criminals to resist, is too far flung to have police vessels hunting down every hacker (perhaps even too large for AI to monitor completely? At least civilian networks), and I imagine that any system that allows partial anonymous access could somehow be manipulated into shielding hackers from tracking. On the other hand, anything that is a "deity-like" hive of AI nodes could be interpreted as effectively immune to digital warfare, due to the seemingly boundless computing power it has at its disposal for digital self-defense.

However, all this is just guess work since PANTHEON's entire description is one paragraph long, leaving much to speculation. Anyone have any idea what sort of things are and aren't possible? e.g., Would profitable cracking, such as skimming digital banks for money or rewriting trade orders to be delivered to agents be possible? Could lone hackers access secure parts of PANTHEON, or would such an endeavor require a coordinated attack force? Is covert infiltration a possibility, or does PANTHEON has flawless omnipotence make it impossible to break and enter without setting off alarms (and can would PANTHEON be able to track down the transmitting location of a hacker, or would it be merely limited to kicking them out of the system)?

 

[FM]

Two words: Black Spiral.

Black Spiral has two things going for them: 1) they have special privlidges in PANTHEON, and 2) Yui is probably allied with them, and since she pretty much is PANTHEON, that's a big point in their favor.

 

[Xerena]

By "allied with them", I take it you mean that Yui is pulling most the strings?

But what about changing the target coordinates of a fire support request, or faking a fire support request with coordinates that will result in the enemy forces bombarding themselves?

 

[RazealK]

Did someone say Cyber? =D BTW, has anyone done rules on hacking and such in the SARP setting?

 

[Wes]

No. In my roleplays, I generally will just make an estimate of each computer's capabilities and then roll a D20.

 

[Strangelove]

Actually, I just noticed how redundant my original question was. What I mean is that asking if 'X can beat Y' is pointless, since it all depends on the specific circumstances. Experience, position, surprise, ship status, luck, etc. There is no flat all-encompassing rule for ship warfare, so logically there shouldn't be one for electronic warfare either. It would all depend on the situation, GM's decision, and perhaps dice rolls as Wes said.

But just one more question; The PANTHEON description lists it as "deity-like." Does that mean the AI nodes are all linked together to form one giant hyperintelligence? Or is it more bureaucratic (bigger overseer AI controlling the smaller, more numerous ones)? Or is it completely decentralized, like the internet where its practically unpoliced, and everyone manages their own servers/nodes? Because if it's the first one then any sort of attempt to hack it will virtually always lose, period, regardless of dice rolls.

 

[Wes]

more bureaucratic (bigger overseer AI controlling the smaller, more numerous ones)