Part 1

Interview with Anubis

“There are two major products that came out of Berkeley: LSD and UNIX. We don’t believe this to be a coincidence.”
— Jeremy S. Anderson

Introduction

This article represents the first in a series of articles dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of the Matrix. Matrix Guide for Dummies will discuss a wide variety of issues about the Matrix, and hopefully add some depth and character to the vast computer network that so many of us take for granted. Each week in The Graveyard I will attempt to present a different aspect of the Matrix, and what sort of systems and data might be encountered.

Please note that this will not be a revision of rules, simply additional information to help flesh out the Matrix and hopefully give some handy tips to new players that wish to play a decker archetype in your campaign.

The following article appeared in the June 30, 2057 issue of Online Magazine, a monthly periodical covering the matrix and related topics. It has been reprinted here with the permission of Mr. Lightfinger, the editor and publisher of Online Magazine.

The following transcript is from an interview I did with one of the most renowned deckers of our time, a man who calls himself Anubis. Although his name is not as well known to those outside of the close-knit circle of deckers and matrix junkies as say Fastjack or Dodger, he is reputed to be one of the foremost authorities on the complexities and operation of the Matrix.

It should be noted that Anubis was a very difficult man to reach. It seems that he charges a minimum of 10,000 nuyen simply to hear your proposal, and then if he finds your proposal acceptable he contacts you via email to arrange a matrix meeting, provided you agree to meet his price. It took a great deal of convincing to persuade the editors of Online Magazine that we should indeed spend such a tremendous sum of money on one interview, but I think you will agree that it was money well spent.

I found Anubis to be an engaging personality and a true expert in his field. When I attempted to arrange a face to face meeting, he refused. In fact, after spending months researching the man and his accomplishments I can find virtually no record whatsoever of him, save for various rumors propagated by other deckers on Shadowland.

On-Line Magazine: Thank you for agreeing to this interview. We were glad to find a decker of your stature that was willing to be interviewed for our readers. Tell us a little about your accomplishments.

Anubis: [Laughs] I’m a decker.

On-Line Magazine: We’ve heard a lot of rumors about you. How many of them are true? Is it true that you are the only decker to ever successfully break into the Zurich Orbital?

Anubis: If I had, do you really think I’d be foolish enough to admit it? Besides, what good would it do to break into the Orbital?

On-Line Magazine: Couldn’t you break into their system and transfer all of the nuyen there to a personal account somewhere?

Anubis: In theory it’s possible. Useless, but possible. The Orbital tracks and stores data concerning all of the world’s financial transactions. If it is compromised, all of that data is useless. Since all cred is actually just data, if it were possible to get into the Orbital and transfer that cred elsewhere it would mean nothing. They are simply numbers, random bits of data in the matrix. Cred only has the value we believe it to have. If the Orbital isn’t secure, then we would not have any faith in cred. So that data becomes obsolete.

On-Line Magazine: So what you’re saying is that if you had broken into the Zurich Orbital, it would make all credit suspect, and therefore any credit you did get would be useless as no one would accept cred anymore?

Anubis: Precisely.

On-Line Magazine: But isn’t it every decker’s dream to someday break into the orbital?

Anubis: [Laughs] No, only the suicidal ones. Getting yourself geeked for useless data is hardly my idea of a dream come true.

On-Line Magazine: So why did you become a decker?

Anubis: Simple. Data is what makes the world go round. It controls every facet of our lives. Everything we do is in the matrix. Everything we are is in the matrix.

On-Line Magazine: Everything? If that is true, how is it that so many shadowrunners exist? Wouldn’t Lone Star be able to track them down easily with all the data in the matrix?

Anubis: Actually that is part of the problem. Data overload. There is so much data out there that it becomes almost impossible to find something unless you know exactly where to look for it. Besides, it’s a lot harder to track the SINless than it is your average wage-slave. They don’t leave anywhere near as large of a data trail to follow.

On-Line Magazine: So if you were trying to locate data on someone, where would you start?

Anubis: Public data nets. You’d be amazed as to how much you can learn about someone from the public nets. For instance, you recently refurbished your apartment, and did so with imported furniture from the Tir. Mostly natural woods, expensive stuff. You’re an avid fan of Urban Brawl, and you haven’t missed a match in almost 4 years. Your father died in 51 of a heart attack. Your mother is alive and lives in the UCAS. You have had a lot of parking tickets, and one speeding ticket in the last 3 years. You like Chinese food but you hate Mexican food. You’re a workaholic, usually putting in at least 70 hours a week. I could go on, but I think you see my point.

On-Line Magazine: How could you possibly know all of that from just the public data nets? Isn’t most of that privileged information?

Anubis: Actually young man, the Matrix doesn’t have any information, only data. Information consists of conclusions that are drawn from all of the facts that the data represents. As far as finding the data on public nets, it doesn’t present much of a problem. The furniture you ordered was done so online with a company in the Tir. When you ordered it you left them your email address, which they publish on a list so that other advertisers can then contact you about related purchases. Coverage of the urban brawl matches works pretty much the same way, you order the show and your name goes into a list so that those selling urban brawl paraphernalia can contact you. Your father’s obituary appeared in your hometown newsfax. Your mother belongs to a sewing club that advertises for members on the matrix. All of the parking tickets and the speeding ticket are also reported on in daily newsfaxes. The type of food you order is obvious from the takeout menus that you access when placing your order. That data is cataloged and stored. The fact that you’re a workaholic was evident from the fact that almost 90% of the food you order is ordered from your matrix account at work.

On-Line Magazine: Amazing… you got all of that from just public data nets? What other types of data are on the public nets?

Anubis: All sorts of data. Marriages, deaths, births, what type of car you drive, most of the products or services you purchase, what schools you attended, what library books you read, any entanglements you may have had with Lone Star, the list goes on and on. It is possible to assemble a very accurate personality profile of an individual or group simply by accessing public data nets and compiling the data.

On-Line Magazine: So what data won’t you find in the Public Nets?

Anubis: Well, such things as your actual SIN number, bank account data, and certain data such as your current status within a corporation are usually kept on private systems. These systems can be accessed, but it requires a little more effort than running a simple search utility.

On-Line Magazine: So with that much data out there about just one single individual, wouldn’t it be nearly impossible to make a false SIN or erase an old SIN number?

Anubis: Once again you’re looking at a data overload problem. So much data exists on one person it’s easy for a lot of it to simply fall through the cracks. While it is time consuming to make a convincing SIN number, it is by no means impossible. It is a little more difficult to delete an old SIN number, as it requires accessing multiple systems. Usually the only difficult part about it is removing all references to an individual within the corporate database in question, which does require accessing the data from the outside.

On-Line Magazine: You mean accessing the system illegally?

Anubis: [Laughs] Legality is in the eye of the beholder. What I do in essence is data management. I help people in either obtaining or deleting data to make their lives a little easier, or in some cases a little longer in duration.

On-Line Magazine: But don’t you think the megacorps, Lone Star in particular, would frown on your activities?

Anubis: I’m usually working for one of the Megacorps in one capacity or another. Granted, when I access one megacorp’s computer system at the behest of another, that particular corporation may not be very happy about it. But odds are at some time in the past I’ve probably done something to assist them in their own endeavors, so in the end it all balances out.

On-Line Magazine: But don’t most Megacorps maintain their own decking personnel?

Anubis: Usually for securing their own systems from intrusion, or managing data flow within their own corner of the Matrix. Corporate deckers are not the sort of people you wish to hire to break into someone else’s system. That takes a special breed. A man who is willing to risk his own hoop to get you the data you need.

On-Line Magazine: Thus bringing about the rise of the independent decker, such as yourself. That does make a great deal of sense. Do you work with one specific group of shadowrunners, or are you, as they say, a freelancer?

Anubis: I used to work with one group for many years, but as they got out of the “business” I decided my skills would be better suited to freelance work. The hours are not as long, and the pay is about the same.

On-Line Magazine: So how does a typical shadowrun start, from a decker’s perspective?

Anubis: Your typical shadowrun starts with meeting the Johnson. In this regard I’ve seen a lot of new teams make some very critical errors in judgment. You should never take your entire team to a meet. In fact, ideally only 3 people should be there. Your negotiator and one street sam, preferably one equipped with an eye camera, should be at the meet with the Johnson. You should have a mage in the same general area as the meet, but he should arrive long beforehand, and not acknowledge the Johnson or his companions in any way. He just sits off in one corner, and assenses the Johnson astrally.

On-Line Magazine: Why not take the whole team?

Anubis: The less your Johnson knows about you as a team, the better. Also, bringing the whole team usually results in some team members attempting to plan the entire run in front of the Johnson. If the Johnson has plans to double cross you, no sense putting more ammunition in his pocket. Keep it simple and to the point. Accept the run, collect the advance and get gone. The less discussion at this point the better.

On-Line Magazine: You mentioned the Street Samurai should have an eye camera. Why is this?

Anubis: To get a nice snapshot of your Johnson. If not an eye camera, try to get him to drink something while you’re there. You want either a photo, fingerprints or something for your decker. That way the decker can access the Matrix and attempt to find out who your Johnson is and who he works for.

On-Line Magazine: Why is that important?

Anubis: The more you know about your Johnson and why he hired you the better prepared you are for the run. It’s all part of the game. Also, this will usually help you to spot problem areas early on. Johnsons are notorious for not giving you all of the pertinent details. They only tell you what they feel you need to know. If you can uncover his origins and motivations, you have gained valuable insight on the run itself.

On-Line Magazine: So how is this done with just a photograph?

Anubis: A simple search utility does the trick. If he graduated from high school or college, which in the case of the majority of Johnsons out there is true, his photo is usually published somewhere in the matrix on a publicly accessible system. If he has ever been photographed at all, odds are it’s in the matrix somewhere. A yearbook photo, marriage announcement, anything of this nature will trigger your search utility and discover who your Johnson really is, and usually as a result who he works for. That way if you are in need of more data you now know which private system you need to access. Then you assemble a personality profile on him, much as I did with you before agreeing to this interview.

On-Line Magazine: Ok, once you have that data, what is your next step?

Anubis: Depends entirely on the type of job you have. You want to gather as much data on the opposition as possible, discover the whys and wherefores. This usually involves a combination of public and private access systems. Most building layouts are on file in public systems. Granted, they don’t show much detail, but it will give you the basic idea as far as the structure is concerned. This is usually a good tool to have at your disposal if you need to get inside a corp facility. If you’re on an extraction, find out all you can about the individual you need to extract. Personally my team never did wetwork, but if your team does I suppose the same rule would apply there as well.

On-Line Magazine: And then you’re done, right? I mean, once you’ve compiled the data you’re finished and the rest of your team takes over?

Anubis: [Laughs] Wrong. That is a common misconception I’m afraid. One of the most valuable roles a decker can play for any group is Matrix Overwatch. Remember, almost everything is controlled via computer. Security systems, schedules, timetables, plans, it’s all out there on the matrix. You can do a great deal to assist your team by running the matrix while they are running in the real world. You can disable security systems, be their eyes and ears, cause distractions, disable phone lines and panic buttons and basically make their lives easier in a million different ways. The Matrix is power.

On-Line Magazine: You can do all that from the Matrix?

Anubis: [Laughs] Of course, that and far more. Remember that almost everything is controlled via computer, and 98% of all computers are connected to the Matrix. Power, lights, phone, water, virtually any type of service or amenity is controlled via computer.

On-Line Magazine: Why are so many computers connected to the matrix? Wouldn’t it be safer to have a standalone system?

Anubis: It would be safer from intrusion, but such systems are very expensive to maintain and lack the processing power and resources available to the similar computer connected to the Matrix. Why pay all of that money for a single dedicated processor when it is so much cheaper and efficient to simply place it on the Matrix?

On-Line Magazine: So what about those systems that are not connected to the Matrix? Are these safe from intrusions by deckers?

Anubis: Safer, but not completely safe. It simply means the decker has to be on site to access it, and remember that any device or peripheral connected to the computer can be used as an access point. But since these systems are exceedingly rare not very many people realize the weakness inherent in their design.

On-Line Magazine: What weakness is that?

Anubis: The fact that they are still dependent on Matrix systems even though they are not connected to the Matrix. I’ll give you a good example. My team and I once had to infiltrate a very secure corporate facility. Their entire security net was on a computer system that was not connected to the Matrix, which meant in theory I would have to go on-site to access the system. I don’t do on-site work. So rather than leaving my team at the mercy of this expensive security system, I accessed the power grid via the Matrix and shut off all the electricity flowing to the site. This very expensive computer might as well have been a paperweight for all the good it did them.

On-Line Magazine: So rather than trying to break into the security system, you simply neutralized it by cutting off its power source. That is amazing.

Anubis: [Laughs] Actually that was the easy part. The hard part was convincing the power grid that everything was still normal in that area so that they wouldn’t send out a repair crew or a Lone Star patrol to check into it. Funny thing about people, they have become so dependent on computers that they often fail to notice anything unless a computer tells them something is wrong.

On-Line Magazine: That is rather surprising coming from a decker. I would have thought you would approve of society’s extensive use of computer systems.

Anubis: It’s not a question of approval or disapproval on my part, young man. It is simply the way things are. But people have become too dependent on the machine. The computer is a wonderful tool, as is the Matrix, but one must always remember that in the final analysis it is the human heart that is the most important asset we have. It is what defines us, and no amount of technology will ever change that.

On-Line Magazine: I had never thought about it that way. You have a very interesting point of view, considering your profession. And I had been led to believe that deckers were arrogant, not philosophical.

Anubis: A certain amount of arrogance is necessary for the task at hand. When you’re jacked into the matrix, it is one of the most essential personality traits for survival. Ego is important in the matrix, it is a measure of your strength and resilience.

On-Line Magazine: What other personality traits are important for a good decker?

Anubis: Ingenuity, and above all patience. Most of the process of data collection is a tedious and time consuming one. The more thorough you are, the less likely it is you will miss that one key indicator.

On-Line Magazine: This certainly has been both fascinating and informative. Unfortunately, I see our time is almost up. Anything else you’d care to add?

Anubis: Just one more thing I can think of at the moment, and that is to always remember to alter the log files of the system you’ve accessed and remove any indication of your presence in the system. A true professional never leaves anything behind.

On-Line Magazine: I’d like to thank you for your time today Mr. Anubis. I’m sure our readers will find your insights to be useful.

Anubis: It was my pleasure.

Prologue

If you enjoyed this article, be sure to stop by next week when Matrix Guide for Dummies presents a detailed list of different types of public and private access systems and the types of data they generally contain.