[WareWolf]

Mt question is about skinlink and cyberware modification. In SR 4 it is assumed that your cyber communicates wirelessly. Therefore if you wanted to foil hacking attempts against your guns or cyberware you would have to install skinlink in each piece. Does that sound right or am i way off here.

[Chrona]

Most cyber has built in DNI, you can turn the wireless off with your comm'.
Some cyber's signal is purely for locating and diagnostics though. No point hacking bone lacing for example

[The_Gun_Nut]

Hacker:  I turn off his bones.

GM:  You...wait, what?

[Stahlseele]

Boneless Chicken Samurai

[FastJack]

To paraphrase Unwired (p. 102):

• The 'ware must be computerized - Most 'ware comes with DNI (Augmentation, p. 31). Those that do not require mental control still come equipped with RFID sensor tags.
• 'Ware must be accessible to hacker - Most external implants (like cyberlimbs) only have wired connections since wireless is not required for diagnostics. And most internal implants have a Signal rating of 0, since they are not required to be any stronger for check-ups and such.

Now, if you've got limbs that detach and act as drones, they would be very susceptible to hacking. But most 'ware isn't. Although it's still fun to try, just to see the sam's face if you succeed.

[WareWolf]

Ah thank you, I was more concerned about the dangers of setting up a tacsoft link using senses from my cybereyes and if the link was hack someone coming in and shutting off my cybereyes.

[FastJack]

Ah thank you, I was more concerned about the dangers of setting up a tacsoft link using senses from my cybereyes and if the link was hack someone coming in and shutting off my cybereyes.

Interesting...

I could certainly see allowing a hacker that gets access to your TacNet to trace the signal back to your commlink and then hacking your PAN to gain access to the sensors that contribute to the TacNet. I could see arguments against it as well, since those in your TacNet don't actually see "through" your sensors, just receive collated information from those sensors on the environment around you. I.E. they don't see the ork hiding behind the crates that you see, but they know he's there based on the information your cybereyes have sent to them.

Ultimately, it's the GM's call on how "connected" your 'ware is to the TacNet.

[WareWolf]

Ah thank you, I was more concerned about the dangers of setting up a tacsoft link using senses from my cybereyes and if the link was hack someone coming in and shutting off my cybereyes.

Interesting...

I could certainly see allowing a hacker that gets access to your TacNet to trace the signal back to your commlink and then hacking your PAN to gain access to the sensors that contribute to the TacNet. I could see arguments against it as well, since those in your TacNet don't actually see "through" your sensors, just receive collated information from those sensors on the environment around you. I.E. they don't see the ork hiding behind the crates that you see, but they know he's there based on the information your cybereyes have sent to them.

Ultimately, it's the GM's call on how "connected" your 'ware is to the TacNet.

My interpretation is that if you set up any kind of feed through your PAN (such as data transmission for a tac net) you have established communication between the PAN and the device. Since the device is now communicating wirelessly with your commlink a hacker sho compromises your commlink could ride the signal back into your cyberware. You could however set up your commlink or your cyberware to always default to instructions sent via DNI or skinlink if their is a conflict between commands. I am the GM and figured this might come up soon. It already has once and we goofed a little on it.

[The Seven]

Ah thank you, I was more concerned about the dangers of setting up a tacsoft link using senses from my cybereyes and if the link was hack someone coming in and shutting off my cybereyes.

Interesting...

I could certainly see allowing a hacker that gets access to your TacNet to trace the signal back to your commlink and then hacking your PAN to gain access to the sensors that contribute to the TacNet. I could see arguments against it as well, since those in your TacNet don't actually see "through" your sensors, just receive collated information from those sensors on the environment around you. I.E. they don't see the ork hiding behind the crates that you see, but they know he's there based on the information your cybereyes have sent to them.

Ultimately, it's the GM's call on how "connected" your 'ware is to the TacNet.

My interpretation is that if you set up any kind of feed through your PAN (such as data transmission for a tac net) you have established communication between the PAN and the device. Since the device is now communicating wirelessly with your commlink a hacker sho compromises your commlink could ride the signal back into your cyberware. You could however set up your commlink or your cyberware to always default to instructions sent via DNI or skinlink if their is a conflict between commands. I am the GM and figured this might come up soon. It already has once and we goofed a little on it.

It makes sense. I'd rule through your rule if it wasn't for Augmentation's advanced cybertech rules.

Cyberware Triggers, Remote Access
Remote triggers typically feature a passive, one-way wireless link that does not broadcast out until triggered by receiving a specific encrypted code. Since these wireless links remain silent until triggered, they are undetectable until active, and they are treated as hidden nodes.

My interpretation of that rule is that, since the link is hidden and one-way, even if a hacker gets in while the link is active, he can't do much to disable/take control of the device. Even if he manages, it's a quick Free Action to (mentally) reactivate it/disable it and the hacker won't have done much damage.

All in all, I'unno, Matrix rules confuse the hell out of me.

[Loki]

Ah thank you, I was more concerned about the dangers of setting up a tacsoft link using senses from my cybereyes and if the link was hack someone coming in and shutting off my cybereyes.

Interesting...

I could certainly see allowing a hacker that gets access to your TacNet to trace the signal back to your commlink and then hacking your PAN to gain access to the sensors that contribute to the TacNet. I could see arguments against it as well, since those in your TacNet don't actually see "through" your sensors, just receive collated information from those sensors on the environment around you. I.E. they don't see the ork hiding behind the crates that you see, but they know he's there based on the information your cybereyes have sent to them.

Ultimately, it's the GM's call on how "connected" your 'ware is to the TacNet.

My interpretation is that if you set up any kind of feed through your PAN (such as data transmission for a tac net) you have established communication between the PAN and the device. Since the device is now communicating wirelessly with your commlink a hacker sho compromises your commlink could ride the signal back into your cyberware. You could however set up your commlink or your cyberware to always default to instructions sent via DNI or skinlink if their is a conflict between commands. I am the GM and figured this might come up soon. It already has once and we goofed a little on it.

If all the users of the tacnet are slaved to one user and said master commlink is hacked  then the hacker gets access to all slaved devices at the level of his hacked account. However if the tacnet users are not slaved and one link was hacked said hacker would get your data feeds but would need to hack your commlink individually.

Your defualt setting idea works fine against spoofed commands and most hacked on the fly accounts. If the hacked account is a admin account, then they can just negate that command, however they've also probably set off your security on the way in.

[Kontact]

All in all, I'unno, Matrix rules confuse the hell out of me.

All that describes is a hidden node.  Nothing too impressive.  It's a 0 signal hidden node though, which means that it can only be detected by a threshold 4 scan test from within 5 meters.  Well, that or the extended test.  The signal range being so short is the real hold-up.

So, to hack such cyberware, a guy would have to either hack into the person's PAN through their commlink or hit them with an RFID tag linked to the matrix, and, from there, find the hidden nodes with their cyber in it then hack them.  The actual hack should be pretty easy since it's just standard electronics with no analyze program and no IC to guard it.  That's why people generally slave their 0 signal devices to their commlink.  It's the theory that if someone cracks your PAN through your link, you're boned anyway.  If they can bypass your link you're just as boned, but it was an easier hack.  That RFID tag will just bounce its traffic through the link and the hacker can use it as a gateway to all the electronics on your person.

Remember that matrix stuff is really fast.  Sure combat happens so quickly that, when engaged you can drop a bit-pusher before he makes trouble for you, but when you don't know he's there, he will completely own your cyber in the time it took you to read this sentence.

[The_Gun_Nut]

Unless you go for full autistic mode:  complete and utter shutdown of ALL wireless traffic.  But, then, you run into the trouble that your teammates can't reach you, and all of your gear must be skinlinked in order for you to use it at all.  Your cyber is safe from hacking, but you have a significant tactical disadvantage without your comms.

[LonePaladin]

This sort of discussion is why I've encouraged the group's rigger to install a security agent in everyone else's commlinks: basically a rating 4+ agent with Analyze, Attack, and Track software (possibly more, if the 'link in question doesn't generally run many programs at once), set to randomly wander around its PAN, looking for suspicious activity. He's also upgrading their 'links with the best base ratings he can get them.

So, any hacker who gets the bright idea of hacking the sammy's cyberarms has to deal with a closed network, and a 'link with rating 5's across the board, and a random chance of getting queried three times per Combat Turn.

[Loki]

This sort of discussion is why I've encouraged the group's rigger to install a security agent in everyone else's commlinks: basically a rating 4+ agent with Analyze, Attack, and Track software (possibly more, if the 'link in question doesn't generally run many programs at once), set to randomly wander around its PAN, looking for suspicious activity. He's also upgrading their 'links with the best base ratings he can get them.

So, any hacker who gets the bright idea of hacking the sammy's cyberarms has to deal with a closed network, and a 'link with rating 5's across the board, and a random chance of getting queried three times per Combat Turn.

Don't forget that a node can run it's own analyze program to ping for intruders as well.

[Kontact]

Unless you go for full autistic mode:  complete and utter shutdown of ALL wireless traffic.  But, then, you run into the trouble that your teammates can't reach you, and all of your gear must be skinlinked in order for you to use it at all.  Your cyber is safe from hacking, but you have a significant tactical disadvantage without your comms.

Even running turtled up won't save you from a tag cloud or some intruder nanites.
But really, nanites are the SR equivalent of "a wizard did it." 
At the point where you've got people getting skewered by invisible robots, you're just saying, "LOL, everyone get aboard the GM express!"