The Hardware Encryption Key

[Atlanta-Ned]

This is a new feature that consists of two parts:

- The Crypter, a new telecommunications device that handles encryption and decryption of communications between the station and central command.
- The Hardware Encryption Key, a small device that is used to encrypt communications between the station and central command.

A crypter requires a functional Hardware Encryption Key. Without it, all messages to and from central command will come out as complete gibberish. This is, of course, highly desirable item for the syndicate. If the station's HEK is destroyed or stolen, a new one may be purchased from cargo at an outlandish price.

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I'm keeping the effects of the Crypter/HEK limited to just garbling central command messages. This way we have a high-value item that, if it goes missing, doesn't automatically screw over the round, but also has an incentive to protect/steal it.

Centcom messages, nuclear code requests, shuttle calls, etc would all be sent/received after being passed through the filter. Ghosts will be able to see the cleartext, and I'll log both the garbled and cleartext messages for admin purposes.

I need to decide how difficult removing the HEK from the Crypter should be. Right now, I'm considering:

• A simple [EJECT] button
• Some sort of PIN entry (similar to the nuke)
• Disassembling the Crypter entirely

The Communications consoles will get a red banner at the top if the HEK is not installed.

From a code standpoint this will require:

• A new telecomms Crypter Machine + sprite(s) + circuitboard item
• The HEK item + sprite
• A secure container for the replacement HEK (requiring captain -level authorization to open)
• Adding it to cargo
• Extensive modifications to the communications console
• Possibly a new filter to garble the text if I can't find a suitable existing one

[BeeSting12]

This is a really cool idea. The messages to centcomm should go through some kind of word replacer so that "we need the nuke codes" turns into "we need forty monkeys" or something like that.

[knacker48]

Would this device be in telecomms or somewhere else?

[Atlanta-Ned]

Would this device be in telecomms or somewhere else?

Telecomms. I'm also debating putting it on the bridge so people have an excuse to break in there that isn't just to cause problems.

[MisterPerson]

Shuttle calls would be passed through? Does this mean you can't call the shuttle if the key is missing?

[Shaps-cloud]

Hmm I dunno, tampering with admin messages and admin ability to communicate with the station as a game mechanic seems a bit iffy

[Shadowflame909]

The emergency shuttle has been delayed till the end of time

[Atlanta-Ned]

On second thought, I'll just apply this to captain-level announcements and mmmmmmaybe head of staff console announcements.

[Shaps-cloud]

That sounds more reasonable, maybe alert admins when it's stolen in case they want to jump on the horn and bitch to the Captain about it if you'd still like it to be super duper important

[Atlanta-Ned]

I also need to rename it, because we already call radio headset keys encryption keys in the code.

[Shadowflame909]

I think the initial idea could be a very fun sort of dangerous.

>Radiation event triggers

>The radiation event is replaced with "Clowny Mc Clown here! Captains a condom!"

>Now everyone is dying from radiation because no one was alerted to the event.

[Atlanta-Ned]

I think the initial idea could be a very fun sort of dangerous.

>Radiation event triggers

>The radiation event is replaced with "Clowny Mc Clown here! Captains a condom!"

>Now everyone is dying from radiation because no one was alerted to the event.

This ONLY applies to captain and head of staff announcements. Other messages are unaffected. Also v. tempted to make loud headset messages require the encryption key

Here's what an announcement looks like if you don't have the key installed properly:

[MisterPerson]

I think the gibberish could literally just be 3 lines and that would get the point across.

[PKPenguin321]

Plus I'm pretty sure we've established that all that is read aloud in-game

[Ayy Lemoh]

Normal crew will still be able to understand the announcements, right?

It'd be dumb if you, a crewmember, had to fucking translate the captain announcing BOMB AT BRIG or something like that.

[ATHATH]

Will this mean that people won't be able to send out messages while t-comms is bombed using comms consoles and/or head of staff consoles? If so, this is a pretty major nuke op buff.

A missing key should also block shuttle purchases, IMO (but not the calling of the shuttle, because that will result in a lot of grief(ing) (maybe it could block the recalling of the shuttle, though?)).

Also, if a replacement is made available for purchase in cargo, traitors would likely just try to buy that instead of stealing the hardware encryption key from a well-guarded location (similar to how people just buy reflector vest crates instead of stealing the reflector vest that starts the round in the Armory. You could get around that by making the version of the key that can be bought from cargo not count for the objective to steal a hardware key, I suppose (and maybe do the same with reflector vests from the reflector vest crate?).