[brasso]

Hi all - just looking at how to tap a comm. The only way I can see to do this is with the Matrix action: Snoop.

First question: Can an Agent run a deck for a decker while they're no jacked in? I'm guessing the answer's no (although it happens in the Gibson books)

Second question: Is there a device a non-decker can buy to scan for and record comm signals? Doesn't seem to be at present. I'm happy to house rule this (rating vs the comm's firewall), but just wondered if this exists. Any SR4 books have this? Scanning devices to tap cell phone calls nowadays are cheaply available.

Final question: Assuming that tapping is possible, how could someone check if they were being tapped?

Thanks in advance

[Namikaze]

Some good questions here.  I'll take a whack at them, and then I'm sure someone will prove my interpretation of the rules wrong. 

First question: Can an Agent run a deck for a decker while they're no jacked in? I'm guessing the answer's no (although it happens in the Gibson books)

The rules are a little unclear about the capabilities of agents.  There are agents that run checkpoint systems pretty smartly in the Coyotes books, so perhaps something could be worked out.  I can't imagine the agent would be able to do much more than just run on the deck and perform Perception checks.  Perhaps the decker could also give the agent marks on his/her deck so that the agent could perform some reboots and diagnostics?  That seems within the scope of an agent's capabilities.

IIRC, the agent can only run on a host that has a mark from the hacker.  The hacker has to stay online, but there's a LOT of definitions of "online."  AR is technically online, so there's nothing to worry about there, I think.

Second question: Is there a device a non-decker can buy to scan for and record comm signals? Doesn't seem to be at present. I'm happy to house rule this (rating vs the comm's firewall), but just wondered if this exists. Any SR4 books have this? Scanning devices to tap cell phone calls nowadays are cheaply available.

There is no device in any of the books that does this, to my knowledge.  The difference between modern phone calls and Shadowrun commcalls is that the technology doesn't inherently work via radio signals anymore.  Sure, it's radio signals.  But they're more secure and they bounce off a lot more relays than they do now.  Still, it seems like it should be feasible.  Perhaps we could make one using some of the rules that are already in place?

Final question: Assuming that tapping is possible, how could someone check if they were being tapped?

Tapping is possible via a few methods.  The most prevalent of course being the Matrix Action: Snoop that you mentioned.  There is also a physical data tap object that can be attached to a land line to intercept data.  However, since all commcalls are essentially Matrix actions, I would say that the device that taps would appear as a device running silently.  If someone is Snooping on you, they have to have a Mark.  So a Matrix Perception test would reveal the presence of a silent device or a Mark on you.

[Dakka]

The problem with needing a mark on a host is that was PROBABLY an illegal action, giving you at most an hour and a half before GOD boots your ass from the Grid.

There exists a Radio Signal Scanner sensor and the Bug Scanner for finding commlink traffic.  You can't actually DO anything with the traffic once you find it unless you are a Decker tho.  You can use Matrix Perception with a Commlink to find anything not running in stealth mode within 100 meters automatically, and anything anywhere on the matrix for 1 hit.  The Bug Scanner lets you roll Electronic Warfare + Logic [Rating] vs Sleaze + Logic to locate stealth signals.

[Insaniac99]

The problem with needing a mark on a host is that was PROBABLY an illegal action, giving you at most an hour and a half before GOD boots your ass from the Grid.

There exists a Radio Signal Scanner sensor and the Bug Scanner for finding commlink traffic.  You can't actually DO anything with the traffic once you find it unless you are a Decker tho.  You can use Matrix Perception with a Commlink to find anything not running in stealth mode within 100 meters automatically, and anything anywhere on the matrix for 1 hit.  The Bug Scanner lets you roll Electronic Warfare + Logic [Rating] vs Sleaze + Logic to locate stealth signals.

Well Snoop is an illegal action as well.  Guess most hacking surveillance will be done by Technomancers.

[brasso]

Interesting comments. I think my first mistake was equating modern cellphones to SR5 commlinks. To tap cellphone comms is outside of any registered network, ie. it's simply the unpoliced airwaves (before hitting the base station and landline network). However, commlinks, decks, etc are all squarely located within the Matrix, which is policed 24/7 by the GOD.

This means that comm tapping is not a discreet matter and must follow the same rules as a decker, ie. the Snoop matrix action. So with or without a non-deck device to carry out a Snoop, there is going to be the same time-limit as decking, ie. until convergence.

So, this just leaves us with the gear itself. I've house-ruled the following device, reasoning that any number of agencies would want one:

A scanner capable of tapping comms is a commlink with a number of partial deck mods.

Cost: Rating x ¥5k Avail: Rating x2 R (Max rating 6)

This includes:

*) A commlink

*) A Sleaze attribute

*) An agent (not a slot, the agent is hard-wired) with Electronic Warfare at its rating, as well as Computer, Hacking and Cybercombat.

*) Additional Matrix actions of:

^) Hack on the Fly (upper max of 1 mark per target)

^) Snoop

All its stats, skills and deck ratings are at the rating of the scanner. It’s rumored that there are scanners with ratings higher than 6, but these are very rare (F). This is a commlink, more than it is a deck, and cannot be converted into a deck.

An operator can substitute their own skills and attributes if they wish to run the scanner manually, although it is intended to run autonomously. The Agent should be given a list of commcodes to scan, or a physical range. Its first action, after logging on, will be to place marks on all those comms in its list/ range, then start snooping.

It can be instructed to reboot periodically, eg. every 10 minutes, or to periodically Check Overwatch Score, and reboot at a certain threshold. Obviously, leaving one of these devices running indefinitely is going to attract GOD attention eventually and get it traced and/ or bricked (unless it’s police with a warrant)

Optional extras:

*) @Rating 3+ Add the matrix action, Check Overwatch Score (+¥2k)

*) @Rating 5+ Cascade: for every successful Snoop, it will use Matrix Perception to locate the sender/ receiver of the message, then add the new commcode to its range, which could be very dangerous. (+¥3.5k)

[Dakka]

I would buy that commlink just to be able to run silent with a sleaze attribute.

I would go with something more like this:

Traffic Interceptor (Rating 1-6):
The Traffic Interceptor allows the user to intercept matrix traffic such as commcalls or distress signals.  The user rolls Electronic Warfare + Logic [Rating] vs Logic + Firewall.  Success means You can listen to, view, or read this data live, or you can save it for later playback/viewing if you have something to store it on.  Note this counts as an illegal (sleaze) action on the matrix and will start an OS score.
Wireless: You can substitute the scanners rating for your Electronic Warfare skill when you use it.

That is based off the Radio Frequency Scanner and essentially allows non deckers to Snoop.  It basically has a Sleaze = rating without having a Sleaze so you could slave a bunch of devices to it.  It also doesn't need all the internal commlink guts so it can be a bit cheaper.  It's basically a Radio Frequency Scanner with a Sleaze rating.  I'd go with Rx500¥ and availability Rx3R, so a noob can only get R4 at creation not R6.

[Namikaze]

I would buy that commlink just to be able to run silent with a sleaze attribute.

I would go with something more like this:

Traffic Interceptor (Rating 1-6):
The Traffic Interceptor allows the user to intercept matrix traffic such as commcalls or distress signals.  The user rolls Electronic Warfare + Logic [Rating] vs Logic + Firewall.  Success means You can listen to, view, or read this data live, or you can save it for later playback/viewing if you have something to store it on.  Note this counts as an illegal (sleaze) action on the matrix and will start an OS score.
Wireless: You can substitute the scanners rating for your Electronic Warfare skill when you use it.

That is based off the Radio Frequency Scanner and essentially allows non deckers to Snoop.  It basically has a Sleaze = rating without having a Sleaze so you could slave a bunch of devices to it.  It also doesn't need all the internal commlink guts so it can be a bit cheaper.  It's basically a Radio Frequency Scanner with a Sleaze rating.  I'd go with Rx500¥ and availability Rx3R, so a noob can only get R4 at creation not R6.

I like it.  Sounds like a great device that no runner should be without.  Would the device capture all wireless traffic in the vicinity, or can you set a frequency to capture?

[Michael Chandra]

Be careful you don't give people too cheaply what requires very expensive equipment to both attack and protect normally.

[Dakka]

@Namikaze: It's basically the Snoop action.  You would have to be aware of your target to try and intercept traffic.

@Michael Chandra: I based the cost off of a Datatap being 300¥ and a Frequency Scanner being Rx100¥.  I'd go as high as Rx1,000¥ maybe but not much higher as then it's cost becomes more than it's worth.  Any group with a Decker doesn't even need one of these at all.  Also, the purpose of writing it like the Frequency Scanner was to remove the Commlink attributes and the Sleaze attribute, so you don't have runners with stealth enabled commlinks running around.

[Xenon]

If you want to physically intercept the wireless traffic I think you need to be within 100 meter of the source or 100 meter of the recipient. Beyond that the signal will be broken up and routed through an unlimited number of wireless devices that make up the mesh network we know as the matrix and you will only intercept fragments of the original message and never get the entire message. Exception might be of you monitor a relay choke point if the sender or reciever is located in an isolated location...

TMs are really great at the normal snoop surveillance as they can avoid getting a high OS for as long as they want. Never having to Jack out after that initial mark and snoop action.

[brasso]

It's tricky coming up with something balanced, but still fills the niche of unattended surveillance.

I like the suggestion Dakka. I was thinking of a more high-end piece of kit for the Police and Intelligence community. Maybe I should up the availability a bit more?

[Namikaze]

Maybe have a version that's "milspec."  AKA: Rating 7+.  For milspec equipment, it's reasonable to increase availability by 50% or more, and prices can go up 200% or more easily.

[jim1701]

A frequency scanner only detects a signal, it doesn't read it.  I'm assuming, of course, you are taking about the one of pg. 440.  I'd go more along the lines of an illegally modified communit that has its DP rating replaced with Sleaze.  You can attempt to "clone" another unit within 20 meters of your unit by first marking the target with a Rating x 2 [Sleaze] vs. Intuition + Firewall then successfully performing a Snoop action with an Extended Test of Rating x 2(Target Firewall, 1 Combat Turn)[Sleaze].  Once cloned the unit can listen in on any traffic or data going to or from the target unit. 

A regular communit can be convert by first performing an extended Hardware test (16, 1 hour) to modify the unit and the performing an extended Software test (14, 1 hour) to reprogram it. 

Additionally I would say that the altered communit must have a device rating equal to or greater than the unit being snooped on.  Alternatively, lower rating units could give dice pool bonuses to the target unit for Matrix perception tests to noticed the intrusion.