Let's Play Uplink
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Chapter 8: This Means War
We already have two of the systems covered, but the third is wide open. We need you to get inside that system, and install a Tracer program covertly which will send us routine updates, and will give us early warning when Revelation is launched.
First, you'll need to...
I have instructions! Let's follow them.
First stop: Arunmor's main file server! They have a present for me.
They even gave me a password to use!
Downlaoding RevelationTracer is a matter of milliseconds.
Next target: ARC Internal Services!
I need to upload RevelationTracer to their file server, but there isn't enough free space! I hope nobody needed this file.
Success!
TO THE CONSOLE
RevelationTracer has begun!
Now to check that it's safe...
The program is no longer visible in the file server!
With any luck, they won't have a clue what I did here.
And done.
Now to cover my tracks and report back to Arunmor.
Mission accomplished!
That's all for now.
Now to do some generic missions to kill time and build Uplink rating!
'This is the latest example of the kind of abuse our company is having to deal with,' said the public relations officer of ARC. 'Ever since these ridiculous allegations about us developing some doomsday weapon, we have had serious problems attracting new business. Now this.'
It is not known what the hacker did - he was very careful and covered his tracks. ARC are launching a full investigation into this incident.'
And another mission from Arunmor!
We have recently been co-operating with Federal Agents in an attempt to bring the CEO of Andromeda Research Corporation into custody for questioning. Unfortunately, for various legal and political reasons, the Feds are refusing to arrest the man due to a lack of evidence against him. We are going to provide that evidence.
Unfortunately for ARC, everyone knows they are developing the Revelation virus. Equally unfortunately, we have a copy of an early version of Revelation, thanks to an earlier mission.
Your first task is to...
I actually never deleted Revelation after that first mission, so hey. No dicking around with Arunmor's file server.
My next hack target: Arunmor Internal Services.
If Arunmor were to be 'attacked' by their own rival, wouldn't that be some pretty damning evidence against ARC?
Okay, let's see what this thing does.
Immediately kicked out.
What the hell is that blotch on the map.
This is the first time that this virus has been seen int he wild, but experts who analyzed it say it has incredible power. After analyzing the virus in detail, it has been determined that the name of the virus is Revelation.
It also looks like we are going to be able to question him about Revelation. This is going to help our cause.
We believe that the CEO of Andromeda Corporation is not actually the man in charge of the Revelation project - since ARC is actually owned by the Andromeda group, and their leader is urrently unknown. However, he undoubtably has a strong impact on their progress.
If we are very lucky, this man will help us find the leader of Andromeda.
It is also likely that our funding will be increased due to this outbreak. The Government is getting quite desperate at the moment - they think that their entire infrastructure may be destroyed, and we are the only people who can offer them a solution.
Awesome.
More trolling the internet!
Federal Agents have refused to comment on the results of their questioning at this time.
Uplink Echeladder
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However, what is not commonly known is that the critical data (ie the research files themselves) are actually stored on a Stand-Alone file server, which is physically disconnected from the rest of the internet. When the file server is connected for use, the ARC LAN itself is disconnected, meaning their data is always totally isolated from public access. This has made it impossible for us to steal their research until now.
A member of ARC's team who wishes to remain anonymous has come forward and offered to help us. You will need to break into the system first. Once inside, you should be able to find the restricted file area. Our man on the inside will then install a remote radio modem on the file server, which will give you access. You can then copy the files.
Once done, decrypt the files and dump them onto our File Server - details below.
You may have noticed that the CEO of ARC was recently arrested and questioned by Federal Agents in connection with Revelation. We believe ARC are planning to launch Revelation early due to this. This makes the success of this mission Super critical.
For the first time in a while, it's time to download new software!
New programs are Decrypter V7.0 and the best versions of everything starting with LAN.
It's a LAN
Time for a whole new area of gameplay: Dungeon crawling.
This is the LAN view! Right now I can only see the Router, which is why I have all this sexy new software.
LAN_Scan shows us all the systems in this LAN! But I still don't know how to reach them.
LAN_Probe analyzes a system I have access to, and reveals all connections it has to other systems! Now I can connect directly to that Hub.
This is a lock! I can't connect past it until I disable it.
The controller is behind it, so there's a few ways I might get past it.
Except not! This is, in fact, a dual lock - both locks here are controlled by the ISOLATION BRIDGE behind them - the upper lock is unlocked, and the lower one is locked.
Going through the unlocked one, I can access the Isolation Bridge...
...and toggle it! Now the lower lock is the unlocked one.
Pushing past the isolation bridge, we see several things!
I have to hit the Subnet first - once it's hacked, I can use LAN_Spoof to make the LAN think that I'm that subnet...
...allowing me to connect to the Authentication Server!
Some standard security follows.
And all that leads to... a dead end?
Not quite! I have a PHONE NUMBER now.
Disconnecting and reconnecting through the number, I've found a second access point of the LAN! The hunt is on.
Another Subnet/Auth server setup...
And another terminal, storing another connection number!
And here we have it - the main server.
Fortunately, I was sharp enough to save the ARC sysadmin's voice data on my hard drive.
Unfortunately, the enemy can trace this VERY quickly, since I'm only one LAN hop away from the modem.
This'll take a few tries.
I only have enough time to snag about one file before the sysadmin boots me each time. This produces a hefty pile of logs I need to get rid of!
About a dozen connections later, I have all of ARC's Revelation data uploaded to Arunmor's file server!
I had to delete some stuff to make room. Hope they don't mind.
We are still not entirely confident that we can stop an outbreak of Revelation, but this data will certainly improve our chances.
We have managed to determine that the reproductive systems in the Revelation virus are based on data and code stolen from Darwin Research Associates a few weeks ago. The virus mutates, multiplies, and evolves, much like a real life form. We believe the way to defeat it is to attack it with another.
The ARC central mainframe stores most of its critical data on a stand-alone file server, which is physically disconnected from the rest of the internet. This ingenious system has stopped all previous attempts at access.
'We now know that somebody inside our company has betrayed us,' stated ARC's public relations officer in a press release this morning. 'We have found equipment which suggests somebody temporarily connected the file server to the outside world with a remote link, which left the file server open to access for a few minutes. They must have been working with somebody on the outside to pull this off.'
Next time: The battle to save the internet!
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