[Thoughts / RFD] Hacker subculture in Fenspace

[robkelk]

A few random thoughts (which may or may not work their way into stories), and a request for input and related tangents...

Of course there's a Hacker Underground Underspace in The Black. Like most pseudo-factions, it's even (vaugely) organized.

Who's in the Hacker Underspace? Going by character writeups, Lebia Maverick would be, and Perry Doper might. It wouldn't be too big a stretch for Yuki Nagato to be part of the group as well. (Ghu knows the poor girl needs something in the way of background other than "she's part of the SOS-dan"...) And anybody who's looked at my discussion page over on the wiki knows about Takami Sakuragi appearing in 2014; she'd be a member, too. Anybody else?

It's a bit more difficult to hack a system protected by an AI, but that just means bigger bragging rights. The penalties for hacking a system protected by an AI are bigger, too - the AI can fight back.

Would anybody go beyond hacking a system protected by an AI and actually try hacking an AI? Most of the ethical hackers wouldn't... but there's always a chance of a boskonian "cracker" being out there somewhere.

Hacking at lightspeed would be a challenge - would it even be possible, or would hackers need to be either reasonably close to on-site or using the Interwave?
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Cobalt Greywalker]

I'd add Buckaroo to that list.

The main problem is that all sentient A.I.s and Full 'borgs have the capability (Even A.C., who doesn't have the hardware currently to go full
immersion. Brainware is still rare in Fenspace, although there is a lot of development going on in that area). Trigon and Eddie can certainly brute-force entry
against other A.I.'s systems. I mean those two and Lebia make up enough cyberspace power you'd need Metropolis on your side to fight them off. However,
most of them haven't developed the mindset or techniques.

Hacking an A.I. is harder than it seems (and that's more than hard enough). I'd guess that since all the A.I.s currently seen (and yes, that includes
the Tachikomas) are 'Wavetech, they can at least fight off the effects of a successful hack over time. Besides, that's what Backups are for.

Hacking at lightspeed... Against A.I. you'd need hardlinks or to be on site. Otherwise Interwave is probably needed to have a reasonable chance at success.
(This includes cracking any encryption.) Against general 'wavetech? An Earth-Moon hack over C-rate links may be possible if you can break it in one attack
or are supremely skillful. Otherwise I'd recommend 0.1 LSecs max. 'Wavetech against Hard? Mil-spec or International finance nets would give you some
challenge otherwise it's Fish-In-A-Barrel time.

[M Fnord]

I swear, the first thing that entered my mind was "They call themselves Anonymous, they are hackers on steroids" etc.

Lightspeed cracking would work, but only if you knew what the exploit was before you started & it wasn't a closely-watched system. Busting some idiot's unprotected Vista box could be done with a light-lag of hours if you're the patient type.
Mr. Fnord interdimensional man of mystery

FenWiki - Your One-Stop Shop for Fenspace Information

"I. Drink. Your. NERDRAGE!"

[Ebony]

Cobalt Greywalker wrote:

---

I'd add Buckaroo to that list.

Definitely. Buckaroo has this annoying tendency to see firewalls as open doors, wandering into systems just to see what's there. The Library
of Congress would like to talk to him, since he took a poke around their computer archives. He didn't take anything or alter anything, but the
government's a bit twitchy about that sort of thing.
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."

[robkelk]

The main problem is that all sentient A.I.s and Full 'borgs have the capability

The capability, yes. The skill, no. (Otherwise, Yoriko and Kohran would have put back-doors in the systems of every ship that ever docked at Stellvia - the former to listen for juicy gossip, the latter to prove she can... That would give Noah a huge advantage over anyone who doesn't practice proper data hygene. I don't want that.)
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

[Cobalt Greywalker]

Quoting myself, with added emphesis:

The main problem is that all sentient A.I.s and Full 'borgs have the capability (Even A.C., who doesn't have the hardware currently to go full immersion. Brainware is still rare in Fenspace, although there is a lot of development going on in that area). Trigon and Eddie can certainly brute-force entry against other A.I.'s systems. I mean those two and Lebia make up enough cyberspace power you'd need Metropolis on your side to fight them off. However, most of them haven't developed the mindset or techniques.

I did point that out Rob. However, given the make up of Fenspace, I'd imagine there is a much higher percentage of Hackers in The Black than down The Well. Of course the general skill level needs to be higher due to 'Wavetech. It's another arrow in the quiver if the 'Danes go COMPLETELY BATSH*T on us (which is very unlikely unless SOMETHING was egging them on).

Anyway, we're all White Hats up here (or a fairly faded grey-black for Trigon). The only real Black Hats work for the Bad Guys.

Besides, the Cyb0rz cause enough trouble in the Black for the Fen computer-wise, and they are home-grown.