Computer Science

Computer Science allows you to access computer systems, write or modify computer programs, and override or bypass computer-controlled devices. This also includes knowledge of computer languages, programming languages, operating systems, and video games.

COMPUTER HACKING (Variable Actions)

During a hack, you attempt to invade a site or network. A site is a virtual location containing files, data, or applications. A site can be as small as a single computer, or as large as a corporate network connecting computers and data archives all over the world. The important thing is that access to the site connects the user to everything within it. Some sites can be accessed via the Internet; others are not connected to any outside network and can only be tapped into by a user who physically accesses a computer connected to the site.

Nearly site is overseen by a system administrator-the person in charge of the site, and who maintains its security. Often, the system administrator is the only person with access to all of a site's functions and data. A site can have more than one system administrator; large sites have a system administrator on duty at all times. A character is typically the system administrator of his or her personal computer.

When you hack into a site, the visit is called a session. Once you character stop accessing the site, the session is over. The character can go back to the site in the future; when he or she does, it's a new session.

Several steps are required to hack into a site:

1. Covering Tracks: This step is optional. By making a Computer Science check, a you can alter your identifying information. This imposes a penalty on any attempt made to identify the character if his or her activity is detected.

2. Access the Site: There are two ways to do this: physically or over the Internet.

   • Physical Access: If you can gain physical access to the computer, or a computer connected to the site, you can use this option. If the site being hacked is not connected to the Internet, this is probably the only way you can access it. A variety of skill checks may be required, depending on the method used to gain access.

   • Internet Access: Reaching a site over the net requires two Computer Science checks. The first check is needed to find a back door to the site on the net. The second is a check to defeat computer security. Once a character has succeeded in both checks, the character has accessed the site.

3. Locate What You're Looking For: To find the data (or application, or remote device) you want, make a Computer Science check. See Find File action.

4. Defeat File Security: Many networks have additional file security. If that's the case, you need to make a Defeat Security check to defeat computer security.

5. Do Your Stuff: Finally, you can actually do what you came to do. If you just wants to look at records, no additional check is needed. (You can also download data, although that often takes several actions--or even several minutes, for especially large amounts of information--to complete.) Altering or deleting records sometimes requires yet another check to defeat computer security. Other operations can be carried out according to the Computer Science skill description.

CRAFT COMPUTER

You can use Computer Science to craft computers. See crafting rules for more information.

DEFEAT SECURITY (1 Minute)

You can attempt to bypass the security software and other defensive measures installed on a particular device. The DC is determined by the quality of the security program installed to defend the system.

DEFEND SYSTEM (Variable Actions)

If you are the system administrator for a site (which may be as simple as being the owner of a laptop), you can defend the site against intruders. If the site alerts an administrator to an intruder, you can attempt to cut off the intruder's access (end the intruder's session), or even to identify the intruder.

To cut off access, make an opposed Computer Science check against the intruder. If you succeed, the intruder's session is ended. The intruder might be able to defeat your security and access your site again, but the intruder will have to start the hacking process all over. Attempting to cut off access takes a full round (3 actions)

One surefire way to prevent further access is to simply shut the site down. With a single computer, that's often no big deal--but on a large site with many computers (or computers controlling functions that can't be interrupted), it may be time-consuming or even impossible.

To identify the intruder, make an opposed Computer Use check against the intruder. If you succeed, you learn the site from which the intruder is operating (if it's a single computer, the character learns the username of the computer's owner). 

Identifying the intruder requires 1 minute and is a separate check from cutting off access. This check can only be made if the intruder is accessing the character's site for the entire length of the check-if the intruder's session ends before the character finishes the check, the character automatically fails. 

DEGRADE PROGRAMING (1 Minute)

You can destroy or alter applications on a computer to make use of that computer harder or impossible. 

• Crashing a computer simply shuts it down. Its user can restart it without making a skill check (however, restarting takes a minimum of 1 minute).

• Destroying programming makes the computer unusable until the programming is repaired.

• Damaging programming imposes a -4 penalty on all Computer Science checks made with the computer (sometimes this is preferable to destroying the programming, since the user might not know that anything is wrong, and won't simply decide to use a different computer). You can degrade the programming of multiple computers at a single site; doing so adds +2 to the DC for each additional computer.

Fixing the degraded programming requires 1 hour.

FIND FILE (Variable Actions)

This skill can be used for finding files or data on an unfamiliar system. The DC for the check and the actions required are determined by the size of the site on which the character is searching, ranging from 3 actions for a personal computer to 10 minutes for a mainframe or cloud server. Finding public information on the Internet does not fall under this category; usually, such a task requires a Research check. This application of the Computer Use skill only pertains to finding files on private systems with which the character is not familiar.

OPERATE REMOTE DEVICE (3 Actions)

Many modern devices are computer-operated via Bluetooth or wi-fi links. If you have access to the site or network that controls such systems, you can either shut them off or change their operating parameters. The DC depends on the nature of the operation.