NETWORK post, backdated to the 15th

[failedpromise]

Who: Cortana
Username: Chosewell
Warnings: Cybersecurity bullshit, high likeliness for supernaturally fueled paranoia

Just a little PSA:

If you're getting weird, hurtful, or distressing messages from you friends, don't panic. No one's account has been hijacked, and no one is secretly plotting against you.

Someone is spoofing accounts, however. For those of you who didn't pay attention in cybersecurities class, that means someone can make it seem as though they're someone else. Anyone else.

Unfortunately, whoever it is is really good at hiding their identity, so I don't actually know who the real culprit is yet.

(Says the AI who impersonated Manji for laughs, to a bunch of people who are supernaturally predisposed to paranoia right now.

...This isn't gonna be disastrous at all.)

Comments

un: supertemp; text

[thedoctorsmate]

Is there any way to identify the messages that are coming in from the spoofed accounts vs. what's real?
And are we sure it's, like... an actual person?
I'm wondering if it's not just some weird supernatural effect thing.
Or that bug lady avatar?
Didn't meet her, but she sounded bloody awful.

[failedpromise]

Not at a glance, no. I'd suggest confirming anything that seems weird or unusual directly with the individual in question.

As for the rest of the questions ...it seems like there's a person behind it but I can't actually confirm anything.

Bug lady?

[text] un: cupkate

[bossyboiler]

What would you need to track down the culprit more quickly?

un: jelica

[musicdied]

A few of the avatars we've dealt with before have some computer savvy, and were able to get into the ADI network previously. Possibly because one of them stole a device on her last visit.

There is also whatever the fuck was going on with the library computers just before we left for Wolf Pen.

cw: mention of amputation, mold

[thedoctorsmate]

This is why we need some sort of guide.
It happened before I got here, but there was some vlogger girl who ended up being an avatar for the Corruption.
She got into ADI's computer systems and caused some sort of problem.
Mold from playing a mobile game?
Charlene in accounts was telling me about it.
The HR lady, Pam, had to have her hand chopped off because of it.

[failedpromise]

Not sure. It might be possible for someone with higher level system access to find out more.

[failedpromise]

That explains Pam's interest in cybersecurity.

(Or rather, why she nearly cried when Cortana pointed out how easily she could hack accounts, but Cortana doesn't say that. Though she is curious if Donna ever figured out that it was her who hacked Manji.)

You know, I'm starting to think that it's for the best that I can't just automatically connect to computer systems here.

(Sure, no conventional virus is likely to harm her, but mold? What is she going to do against that?

...Just not going to think about her experiences with a certain asshole talking fungus.)

[thedoctorsmate]

Oh, god, yeah... if there's creepy supernatural stuff in the wires?
Dunno how that'd affect you.
Have you noticed anything off with those signal creatures that are still hanging about?

Private/locked to Donna

[failedpromise]

If I told you that it turns out the advancements that make me more clever than other Smart AI should have also increased my operational lifespan and the reason they didn't is at least partially because of the interference of the closest thing my universe has to "creepy supernatural stuff"?

(It could be really bad, is what she's saying.)

Those? Getting too close resulted in my audio output being hijacked-it didn't hurt me, though it wouldn't have sounded like it to anyone nearby.

[bossyboiler]

How high level?

text; un: username

[canofmanji]

see this just seems like another reason to ditch my phone to me.

[failedpromise]

Honestly, turning it off and ignoring it unless you have an emergency and have to contact someone might not be a bad idea, at least until this blows over.

(Yes, she actually did say that. She's not going to suggest getting rid of it entirely, but...)

[canofmanji]

if there is an emergency ill just scream really loud. worked for me back home.

[failedpromise]

(She just made the ugliest snortlaugh sound.)

It might not work as well here but you're basically immortal, right? Still, you might miss out on the opportunity to get a pay bonus for taking a picture.

(...Provided he's figured out how to take pictures.)

[canofmanji]

picture??.??????..????. [That would be a no.] you can paint with these things?

[failedpromise]

You can, but what I'm talking about is a lot faster than painting. Do you need me to show you?

perma-private

[thedoctorsmate]

I'd say that's bonkers, but par for the course around here.
So, wait, does that mean these creepy supernatural things are creeping on you here?

[She'll come back to the signal creatures and what they might be doing to Cortana, but the first part seems important to address first.]

[failedpromise]

Other than fueling my hard light avatar, no.

I'd prefer to keep it that way.

[failedpromise]

I'd likely need to be able to see every device that is accessing the network at a given time.

[canofmanji]

is it going to be an issue with how these things seem to have gone nuts?

[thedoctorsmate]

I wonder if there's a way to power you without them.
Or, I guess you might already be looking into that?

[failedpromise]

I am, actually.

[thedoctorsmate]

Yeah?
Any luck on that front?

And somehow I managed to forget to respond to this

[failedpromise]

(She flinches at the mention of the library computers. Thank goodness she only had to deal with Donna seeing what happened with those.)

And there's the siren creatures in Dogtown too.

Is it just me or does technology seem to be especially vulnerable?

[musicdied]

Especially vulnerable, or especially targeted.

Technology, and people's minds. There are other things that repeat, but those are the big ones.