We know that virus can leave an egg. As for how much RAM etc. its probably worst with a high tech device - look at our mobiles and tablets. I remember when a PC with 48K was good and now my phone has a memory card the size of my little finger nail with GBs of space. Trav hand computers seem to indicate that sort of computer power / memory increase is still going on. I can see virus being able to live in TL14/15 hand computers etc. so people with fancy tech will get hit more. There must be some cut-off about TL11/12ish where it can't live in a portable device, and another lower TL limit TL8ish where a portable device is too small for an egg. But connect that to a big computer like that on a ship and bang - instant virus.
----- Original Message -----
From: Tim O'Reilly
To:
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2012 3:33 PM
Subject: Re: [Traveller_TNE] Re: Opposition Alliance
possibly true dat but it sorta begs the question how much ram/whatever is needed for this AI virus? How much then would be on a typical hand-held device?
Depending on whose data pad is used it might have enough for the virus to spread, but if not, then maybe not such a problem ... still and all most ships/stations could get infected via what are considered secure links. On the flip side secure systems are constantly monitored for infection, because infections of one kind or another happen all the time. The only real difference here is that virus can write-rewrite chips in order to give it a home.
Tim
From: Rupert Boleyn <>
To:
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2012 4:34 AM
Subject: Re: [Traveller_TNE] Re: Opposition Alliance
On 25/10/2012 05:24, Richard Perks wrote:
> As for people being able to modifiy the transponder. Its designed to
> stop that, I think they said the deyo has anti-tamper than reduces
> the transponder to slag and the evolution rate of the virus is
> constant so if you turn it off, your transponder is out of sync and
> you can't resync. It is designed to show tampering so the IN / SPA /
> other ships knopw you have a dubious transponder. Yes people can turn
> them off but not back on in any useable fashion
I expect that a skilled crew could mute one without making it show as
dubious, the same way that a military one can be - if they know that
this is an option, which they won't unless they're privy to some
extremely classified information on the transponder's nature.
However, in my view that's not really the problem. the real problem is
the ubiquitous nature of datalinks in the Imperium and its neighbours.
Once Virus is in a system, it's in everything that touches that system,
and everything that touches that system... There will be eggs in the
mail, every ship that docks with a station will link to its network to
do business, download the news, and so on, so they spread Virus, or get
infected (or both).
So your ship doesn't hook into the local net, because you're dodgy and
the locals are dodgy and everyone is happier that way. It's all good -
until your cargomaster takes his tablet with him when making a pickup on
some cargo, and it gets infected. Then he brings it, and the egg it
carries, on board. Sometime in the next few days, your ship is no longer
yours.
If you're using gear past TL7, basically, you're screwed, and death
travels with you.
----- Original Message -----
From: Tim O'Reilly
To:
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2012 3:33 PM
Subject: Re: [Traveller_TNE] Re: Opposition Alliance
possibly true dat but it sorta begs the question how much ram/whatever is needed for this AI virus? How much then would be on a typical hand-held device?
Depending on whose data pad is used it might have enough for the virus to spread, but if not, then maybe not such a problem ... still and all most ships/stations could get infected via what are considered secure links. On the flip side secure systems are constantly monitored for infection, because infections of one kind or another happen all the time. The only real difference here is that virus can write-rewrite chips in order to give it a home.
Tim
From: Rupert Boleyn <>
To:
Sent: Thursday, October 25, 2012 4:34 AM
Subject: Re: [Traveller_TNE] Re: Opposition Alliance
On 25/10/2012 05:24, Richard Perks wrote:
> As for people being able to modifiy the transponder. Its designed to
> stop that, I think they said the deyo has anti-tamper than reduces
> the transponder to slag and the evolution rate of the virus is
> constant so if you turn it off, your transponder is out of sync and
> you can't resync. It is designed to show tampering so the IN / SPA /
> other ships knopw you have a dubious transponder. Yes people can turn
> them off but not back on in any useable fashion
I expect that a skilled crew could mute one without making it show as
dubious, the same way that a military one can be - if they know that
this is an option, which they won't unless they're privy to some
extremely classified information on the transponder's nature.
However, in my view that's not really the problem. the real problem is
the ubiquitous nature of datalinks in the Imperium and its neighbours.
Once Virus is in a system, it's in everything that touches that system,
and everything that touches that system... There will be eggs in the
mail, every ship that docks with a station will link to its network to
do business, download the news, and so on, so they spread Virus, or get
infected (or both).
So your ship doesn't hook into the local net, because you're dodgy and
the locals are dodgy and everyone is happier that way. It's all good -
until your cargomaster takes his tablet with him when making a pickup on
some cargo, and it gets infected. Then he brings it, and the egg it
carries, on board. Sometime in the next few days, your ship is no longer
yours.
If you're using gear past TL7, basically, you're screwed, and death
travels with you.