Goonhub
09-30-2020, 02:16 PM
One REALLY good way that I've seen packets be used to make them less abuseable is the newer Detomatrix packets. Before, it used to be a file that, when associated with ANY text message, set off the PDA. This didn't used to be much of a problem since catching wireless files was either extremely difficult or just straight up impossible. However, the addition of the File MechComp component made this both possible and relatively simple. So, as you can imagine, people just sent a detomatrix missile to someone, snatched the file, then made systems to blow up every PDA on the station.
This is VERY strong, but the bad part seemed to have come from how simple and abuseable it was. Now, there's a new system:
There is now a Syndicate Netpass which is ONLY used for Detomatrixes. Any valid text message needs to have the *correct* netpass in its correct key field to detonate a PDA, but this time no file is present. You'd think that this would be worse, since now you can just sniff for the pass, but here's where it gets good! Here's what a typical sniffed packet from a MISSILE might look like:
[38:07:4]:ERR_12939_CORRUPT_PACKET:*****n*********s*a*** **ss*******M; **t**********9****O********** *****r*******h* S***e ****; *****r*0****1a** *d*******=*2*5*****
This is most likely going to be useless on its own. If you're clever (and lucky) you can figure out the sender just based on this message alone, as there's a combination of '1a' in the third to last and second to last digits where the sender ID would be, allowing you to trace them. Or, you sniff out a bunch of these and combine them all to get a more complete one!
Stuff similar to this, requiring you to sniff out multiple packets and/or do some clever math and decoding, could be a great solution. This would make it challenging enough by requiring some actual know-how and somewhat dynamic problem solving, rather than basic instruction following. The Detomatrix thing is a bit simple, however, and I'd like to see more interesting ways of making things more obfuscated and secure.
On a semi-related note, the AI should be THE role that can crack these things; secure communications and data processing and the ability to sniff a LOT of packets.
This is VERY strong, but the bad part seemed to have come from how simple and abuseable it was. Now, there's a new system:
There is now a Syndicate Netpass which is ONLY used for Detomatrixes. Any valid text message needs to have the *correct* netpass in its correct key field to detonate a PDA, but this time no file is present. You'd think that this would be worse, since now you can just sniff for the pass, but here's where it gets good! Here's what a typical sniffed packet from a MISSILE might look like:
[38:07:4]:ERR_12939_CORRUPT_PACKET:*****n*********s*a*** **ss*******M; **t**********9****O********** *****r*******h* S***e ****; *****r*0****1a** *d*******=*2*5*****
This is most likely going to be useless on its own. If you're clever (and lucky) you can figure out the sender just based on this message alone, as there's a combination of '1a' in the third to last and second to last digits where the sender ID would be, allowing you to trace them. Or, you sniff out a bunch of these and combine them all to get a more complete one!
Stuff similar to this, requiring you to sniff out multiple packets and/or do some clever math and decoding, could be a great solution. This would make it challenging enough by requiring some actual know-how and somewhat dynamic problem solving, rather than basic instruction following. The Detomatrix thing is a bit simple, however, and I'd like to see more interesting ways of making things more obfuscated and secure.
On a semi-related note, the AI should be THE role that can crack these things; secure communications and data processing and the ability to sniff a LOT of packets.