Viruses


>>>>>(Sure, they all think I'm a newbie chummer that is just another chiphead with a K-Mart deck. Remeber the virus that crashed 37 systems on the first of 2054? That was my own design.)<<<<<
-Wedge(**:**:**/**:**:**)

Viruses are the death blow to systems. They are the decker's best friend, yet was one of the things about decking that Virtual Realities 2.0 left out. So here I am writting these rules.

List of Viruses (at least in my SR world)


This virus is equipped to crash the system. They do this by sneaking past IC and seeking the CPU, in which it tells it to shut down, or crash, or whatever. The second version crashes each node or part of the sculpted system until the entire host is down, in which it then crashes itself. It is a walking crash utility program.
This virus eats up the phone lines by sending a signal from the system's own phone right back to the system, giving it a busy signal (sort of like if you pick up your phone and dial your own number). The result is that every phone line has a busy signal. If the virus detects a hangup, it simply dials again. In order to take over a single line, it makes a test using a number of dice equal to it's rating against the Security Value of the system.
The soldier goes out with a copy of the decker's own attack program and either starts attacking the system and IC and deckers at random or goes to a specific file to delete. Basically, it's grey IC. The power level of the attack porgram is equal to the rating. The damage level depends on the multiplier.
Every keyboard, modem, monitor, mouse, and every little device is connected to the back of the hard drive on a computer. This simply closes it down. Thus, no decker can get into the system and deckers on the system will get dumped and suffer normal dump shock. The system becomes an island that can't be touched by any computer user. However, eventually the IC will seek out the virus and then things can resume. This could take a while, though. Any AI in the system is trapped until the virus is defeated, since there is no connection between the icon and jackpoint that has been cut off.
After making a test against the deck's MPCP rating, the sabotage virus will disrupt one random or preprogrammed utility program, having it's effects reversed (attack will attack the decker, medic will do harm, etc.) One succes means that the virus works, but the decker realizes the virus has tampered a specific program, two means that the decker doesn't know which program, and three means that the decker doesn't know about the virus. This is a virus that affects a cyber deck or a monitor, turning the view completly black. The decker or user can still work, but they cannot see what they are doing. Deckers affected by this can still perform system operations but at a +3 penalty to all target numbers. For a normal computer monitor though, the user is hopeless. A test against the Sensor rating of the of the deck is needed first.
This virus takes control of a slave and gives it random commands. While it is on a slave, nothing else can control the slave. The virus must make a control test before taking over. Breeders are viruses that create large files (file size = Rating x 1d6 x 10) each turn. The I/O speed on the cyberdeck does not change how fast it multiplies. Breeders eat up the computer's memory (so that new files cannot be created by users) and it slows down the system with all the files (put a -Rating for IC initiative and system operations). The decker can always program his own virus too. A virus is essentially a normal program that does damagin affects. The virus may not even do any damage, but just change passcodes or copy data. It is only limited by the decker's imagination, and programming skill.

Additional Features:

The virus program can have any of the options on pages 103-104 in the Virtual Realities 2.0
The virus replicates itself so it spreads much quicker. However, each copy of the virus is at a rating that is 1 less then the original, and the original degrades. So a Control Slave r3 can become 2 Control Slave r2. Then both could split again and become 4 Control Slave r1. The time it takes to replicate is equal (in turns) to the size of the virus divided by (rating x 10). Round up.

Size & Costs


Virus-Size Multipler
Crasher (ver 1)-3
Crasher (ver 2)-4
Phone Jammer-2
Soldier (Light)-3
Soldier (Moderate)-4
Soldier (Serious)-5
Soldier (Deadly)-6
Port Lockup-5
Sabotage-6
Blind-4
Control Slave-3
Breeder-4

The multiplier is the basic equation: rating x rating x multiplier.

Use the basic price guide on page 107 of VR 2.0 or SR2 page 262.

New Skill: Computer/Software/Virus Programming



Programming


All programming methods from VR 2.0 can be used in programming viruses as if they were normal utility programs. In addition, a virus programming kit can be bought for 2,000 ¥ and gives a +1 bonus. This kit can only be used in virus programming. Also, (see below) if the virus is not mobile, reduce the days by the rating x 10.

Attacking a Virus

A computer virus is a program, and therefore cannot be attacked. It can be crashed or deleted, and all that is neccesary is a files test. However, the virus may be able to replicate itself a few thousand times throughout the entire computer, which is the problem. It is finding the virus that is a problem. Make an index test against the virus's rating. One success tells the location of a virus, two successes gives the indication of more viruses, and three tells how many and where. Make one files test for each virus on the system, one success tells the decker that he has wiped out one copy of the virus, two means all copies were destroyed.


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