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     Post subject:Two new systems
    PostPosted:Mon Jan 28, 2008 6:56 pm 
     

    Joined:Sun Dec 16, 2007 2:39 pm
    Posts:25
    I had ideas for 2 new systems the companies could have for higher level missions. At a high level the other missions become pretty easy because of your CPU speed and tracing isn't a problem because you can just put a ton of systems (like all phones) into a bounce, so these 2 systems would create missions where you have to use high speed CPU to do it quickly. But first, there are some other things that would have to be added.

    First would be two new commands for the console, one that blocks all attempts to connect (so people cant log onto the server) and one that disconnects all users online. If used in that order, the server would become empty and nobody could connect to it until it's rebooted in the real world (could take 10 minutes).

    Second is a concept for virus and antivirus, in my other post I suggested some types of virus but for this i'll just stick with a remote control virus that you copy into a server's files (or more servers), and once logged off you can use the remote control to activate it.
    I'll have to mention the antivirus to those who didn't read the other post. It's not together with Proxy, Firewall, etc. It's a file on the server that is always reinstalled 10 minutes after you delete it (logical). It scans for unauthorized files on the fileserver from time to time (maybe 5 minutes) and deletes them. Low versions could miss files hidden with a certain new software, but highest level would still find them and for those you have to use a software that spoofs the antivirus when you run it without it finding any files (going to the console and running it making sure you didn't put unauthorized files yet, then use the spoof program, which is more expensive by the way), that adds another use to the console. After you've spoofed it you can copy the virus (would be good if you could go back without reconnecting...
    Also note that if you rename with some program the virus as a file the antivirus would still find it as illegal data and delete it, so you have to spoof it anyway (just in case a mission to do that is made)


    Now for the 2 systems. First would be a Monitoring Server, that monitors all servers of the company and blocks use of any illegal software (illegal software = software that's not in the Monitoring Server's fileserver, which has, like, File Copy/Delete, which are put back together with the antivirus in case they're deleted). Monitoring Servers can't have security that stops you from copying files into it, otherwise it'd be impossible to hack, since it monitors itself too.
    The other system would be some kind of Lifting Server (don't know a good name) that is contacted once a server in the network fails to load kernel when trying to reboot (when you're crashing it), after contacted the lifting system copies system files to the server that's being crashed and makes it sucessfully reboot. That means you have to hack the Lifting System before crashing another system in the network. It does not reboot itself however, so you CAN crash it.
    If a company has a lifting server, the messages shown after shutdown command (considering you deleted system files) would go like this

    Shutting down system...
    System shut down complete.
    Rebooting...
    Loading Kernel...
    [Failed]
    Contacting Lifting Server...
    Copying boot.sys...
    Copying kernel.sys...
    Copying os.sys...
    Rebooting...
    Loading Kernel...
    Loading Operating System...
    Starting User Services...
    Running Console Services...
    Reboot completed.

    As for the console command that blocks connections to the server, it only blocks incoming connections. If the server tries to connect to another server, the connection is replied, and thus you cannot avoid the system you want to crash contacting the lifting server by just using the command to block the connection. It would work if you blocked the connection in the lifting server, but you'd have more time if you just crashed it (gives you like a hour instead of 10 minutes)

    The missions involving those are high level because they need fast CPU AND PC software. Why PC? You can't use password breaker to hack into the Monitoring Server. The password would be stored in the Administrator's PC, which could be found using the Network Access Server method. MAKE SURE the companies that have Network Access Servers DON'T have monitoring systems, or you won't be able to get into the Name Server to get the administrator's PC, making the hack impossible (unless you guess his IP). Also the Monitoring Server can ONLY have a password screen to log on it, since you can't use software to get into it.
    Also since you can't hack the ISM to get the links first the monitoring server link has to be available either at InterNIC or the admin's PC. And the information about the new systems have to be on Uplink Laboratories Research Center to find out the password is on the admin's PC. Knowing the info once you get a 'Software denied by Monitoring Server' message when trying to hack, you'd know what to do, go to admin's pc and get the password and link (consider the hacking experience for players who get high enough to do these missions)

    I'll mention some combinations of Monitoring Servers + Lifting Servers that could be used to make different mission levels. Note that the first step of all of them is getting the Monitoring Server password from the administrator's PC.

    Also I'll be calling the antivirus as Low (can't see hidden files) and High (can see hidden files). Note that a High antivirus in a Monitoring Server can't be spoofed (to use spoof you have to have the spoof program in the fileserver, to run it sucessfully you have to use the antivirus without it finding anything, and it finds the spoof program), so best you can do is crash the server.

    1-Network with 1 monitoring server with no antivirus
    Easy, just copy your programs into the file server so that you can use all of them. With no antivirus, they'll stay there forever. You can also crash the server, takes a hour to come back up.

    2-Network with 1 monitoring server with a Low/High antivirus
    You can delete the antivirus and copy the files, but it's easier to just crash the server.

    3-Network with 1 monitoring server and 1 lifting server
    No crashing the monitoring server. What you have to do is copy your programs to the fileserver, then you can use them freely since there's no antivirus. Being able to use them, you can crash the Lifting Server and then do the job.

    4-Network with 1 monitoring server (Low antivirus) and 1 lifting server
    You can delete the antivirus and go for a 10 minute run to crash the lifting server and come back to crash the monitoring server (10 minutes won't be enough to also finish the job). You can also be quick and copy the software to hide files to the fileserver, and then hide them for a permanent solution. If you can, though, is faster to do the 10 minute run.

    5- Network with 1 monitoring server (High antivirus) and 1 lifting server
    You can't hide the files and you can't spoof the antivirus. The only option is the 10 minute run, in which you'll have to crash the lifting server and come back to crash the monitoring server.

    6- Network with 1 monitoring server (Whatever antivirus) and 2 lifting servers
    A good company has 2 lifting servers, so if one is crashed the other one heals it. That means you have to crash them at the same time... With the remote control virus. Copy it to both servers and run them, since both get crashed at the same time they cant help each other. You could also block connections in one and crash the other, but in 10 minutes the other one's connection comes back so you don't have time to finish the job. You could wait for it to come back and crash it, but with the virus it's easier.

    Additional monitoring/lifting servers would just make the run harder, if pulled too far it won't be possible, I think up to the 6th example is doable. If you wish to put more, do tests to see how much can be done.

    Long post, but that's about it.


    Last edited by Zephiros on Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:51 pm, edited 3 times in total.

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     Post subject:Re: Two new systems
    PostPosted:Tue Jan 29, 2008 11:08 am 
     

    Joined:Mon Dec 19, 2005 4:06 pm
    Posts:112
    Location:Finland
    Ugh, I don't agree with the monitoring server thingy and even less with the administrator's pc which must be hacked before anything could be done to the monitoring server. The lifting server could be pretty frustrating too.

    Why? Well, think. You get a "Elite agent blablabla" mission, and you attempt to hack the central mainframe. Then you get a message saying "Host is not responding". Then you hack your way to the company's internal services machine, and get the link to the gateway, hack it and crash it. Voilá! The way to the central mainframe is clear. That's Onlink now.

    Add your suggestions, and it would go like this: You attempt to hack the central mainframe, and notice you aren't allowed to do pretty much anything. You hack the internal services machine, and get the link to the monitoring server and the gateway. Then you attempt to hack the monitoring server only to notice you can't crack the password. You're wondering "what the hell? :-/" for a sec, get a flash of intellect. Then you hack to the three name servers, most likely to all three because the correct one is always the last (is for me anyway >_<). Then you hack to the admin's PC and manage surprisingly enough to get the password. Then you login to the monitoring server, shut it down (or the monitoring systems, whichever), then you hack the company's gateway, crash it, and then you hack to the mainframe and crash it only to notice that thanks to the lifting server all your work was for nothing. You do everything again (getting the password again included, since the admin would be a retard if he/she wouldn't reset it, surely enough the lifting server messages the admin telling someone has been messing with the mainframe?) and crash the lifting server before crashing the mainframe, and lo! The downfall of the evil mainframe is at hand! You crash it, and finally get your reward: 10,000 credits. YAY!

    While something similar might be in a storyline mission, I certainly do not agree regular missions should include anything like that.


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     Post subject:Re: Two new systems
    PostPosted:Tue Jan 29, 2008 12:38 pm 
     

    Joined:Sun Dec 16, 2007 2:39 pm
    Posts:25
    Some info would be available in the uplink laboratories research center like with the gateway (i had to manage finding out about the gateway on my own), it'd also mention that the password for the monitoring server is in the admin's PC (which could be in Owner or System Information)

    Also the link to at least the monitoring server would be on internic (maybe lifting server too to make it easier) and that's how you find out a company has them, not by trial and failure. but if possible they could also be found in the admin's PC under Common Links
    Considering you read the info on uplink lab research center, once you notice you can't use your programs in the company's servers (with a message like Software denied by Monitoring Server) you'd know what to do. Also if you have to get the monitoring server link from the admin's PC you would find out the company has a lifting server at the same time. Also you can always WAIT when you type the commands in the console to shutdown the system. It would show a message contacting the lifting server, files being copied and reboot successful (if you bounced through all phones like some people and I do, you'll have plenty of time)

    Plus, password changing isn't a problem except if the monitoring server has a High Antivirus, in which case there is no permanent solution. In the other cases you can keep files like the password breaker hidden so that you can always use them.

    Also note I said the mission is high level. Higher than frame a user, which are 20000+. So make the higher ones 40000+, 50000+ maybe?

    And I still want missions with gateway only. I personally think these are too low level right now, I had to rob a bank to get the money for the PC software and other stuff I needed to do it. I think the farther you can get without needing to rob a bank, the better, because you play the game for longer.


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     Post subject:Re: Two new systems
    PostPosted:Wed Jan 30, 2008 12:21 am 
     

    Joined:Mon Dec 19, 2005 4:06 pm
    Posts:112
    Location:Finland
    Even if the reward were higher I'd still probably get frustrated with the large amount of systems which would be needed to hack the mainframe :-/

    I do agree though that there should be some much more difficult missions, mayhap including a gateway. Last time I played I hacked a bank account after I had completed like a total of 10 missions (possibly even earlier). Not only because I could, but also because systems at that point were already having defensive software which needed expensive cracking software (the GCD for example, which is frustrating when you need to hack it with crackers and no bypassers).

    Also, "Elite agent blablabla" missions where a gateway must be hacked and crashed should have at least doubled (preferably tripled, or even quadrupled) reward compared to ones where there's no gateway protecting the mainframe, since the PC software alone costs like 200k credits, and even more with bypassers added, which are pretty much needed unless you want to bounce through like 50 systems, and which are NOT needed when hacking a mainframe, though they're very useful.

    But really, I'd like to have Miah's and/or Tycho's opinion on this :-/


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     Post subject:Re: Two new systems
    PostPosted:Wed Jan 30, 2008 9:13 am 
     

    Joined:Sun Dec 16, 2007 2:39 pm
    Posts:25
    Well I do think the missions with gateways should be much higher level, I had to think a lot to create a perfect scheme to rob 3 million from bank in one go because killer software take too long to act, I don't wanna use them much, plus they kept jailing me like 10 days after i got the money even if there's no evidence, was a real pain to get through that to buy PC software to finally continue doing missions.
    There could be more missions to destroy ISMs before the mainframe ones, otherwise the only way out is to hack a bank, or maybe make lower level missions show up a little more to get some money

    As for having these 2 systems, would be nice in the storyline at least (Storyline companies seem big enough to have these) and I think these are systems that would logically exist to fight hackers. If on normal missions, would be for grade 5+ agents or something (I'm really looking for challenges but the game ends quickly... There are nothing but missions to trace myself)

    And by the way, hacking monitoring server and lifting server would take 5-10 minutes depending on the antivirus and amount of servers (and of course if you have 500.000+ gateway)

    About hacking the admin PC, looks more real since in the real world I don't think there's a program that finds any admin password with one click


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